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Monday, December 17, 2012

Love Happy Hour - Downtown Culver City Third Wednesday "Holiday Happy Hour"


Downtown Culver City- Third Wednesday "Holiday Happy Hour"




This Wednesday, December 19th, join Downtown Culver City for their "Third Wednesday Holiday Happy Hour." An outdoor ice skating rink (2 for 1 special this Wednesday), reindeer carolers, happy hour specials and free egg nog shots are some the enticing festive offerings of the night.

Rush Street, Rocco's Tavern, Bottle Rock, Ford's Filling Station, Akasha and Hikari are some of the restaurants and bars included in this year's festivities. You can also save on gas and grueling traffic by riding the new Expo Line Culver City Station to the event. So if you've waited until last minute to get into the holiday spirit, then now is your chance to mingle, enjoy your favorite places to eat at and sample some holiday-themed cocktails at happy hour prices.




Downtown Culver City - Third Wednesday "Holiday Happy Hour"
5pm - 9pm.












Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Holiday Cocktail: The White Christmas


Makin' It With Maren
by Maren Swanson
December 11th, 2012




Living in Los Angeles is great; the summers aren't too hot and the winters are mild. However, when the holidays roll around, I definitely long for the seasonal changes like snow, sledding, snowmen - noticing a pattern here? The white, fluffy consistency of snow is a luxury that I don't get to experience, so unless I'm watching a movie like White Christmas or other snow-themed movies, I'm left to my imagination…

Since I will be planning some holiday parties of my own, I wanted to create a cocktail this winter that would mimic the idea of snow and add the flavors of the holidays. So after a few trips to the store and some experiments with my KitchenAid mixer, I concocted one of my favorite drinks yet: The White Christmas.





The White Christmas cocktail is tasty, playful and it gets me in the mood - for the holidays, that is! The peppermint whipped cream on top is an added treat that your guests can eat with the candy cane garnish. Based on the famous White Russian cocktail, The White Christmas starts with good
old-fashioned Kahlua (we tried the new Cinnamon Spice flavor), vodka and milk, but with a twist!



To make this drink, follow the steps below. I promise that this drink will be a huge hit for family and friends this Christmas!



The White Christmas:
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Cinnamon Spice Kahlua
4 ozs Milk (fat free, 2% or whole milk)
1/2 oz Sweet Italian Creamer (Coffemate - fat free or regular)
1/4 oz Peppermint Extract
Ice


Garnishes:
Peppermint Whipped Cream (see below)
Peppermint Sprinkles
Mini Candy Canes
Mint Sprigs


Layer ingredients in a glass or martini shaker (not garnishes). Add ice and shake well 3 to 4 times. Re-distribute mixed ingredients to a fresh glass of ice. Top with garnishes. Serve. Enjoy!


Peppermint Whipped Cream:
1. You can add peppermint extract to already prepared store bought whipped cream or:
2. Use a stand mixer to whipped one small container of cold whipping cream. After whipping for 5 minutes on medium speed, add in a 1/2 cup of sifted powdered sugar and 3/4 oz of peppermint extract (to taste).