Nightlife Spotlight: The Edison

March 3, 2018March 6, 2018 / Club R / Leave a comment

Venue: The Edison

Address: 108 W 2nd St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Hours: Wed – Fri 5 pm – 2 am, Sat 8 pm – 2 am

Best Days: Fridays, Saturdays or Special Performance nights

A century ago in 1916, the first power plant in Los Angeles was commissioned to serve the small town. Many years later, this power plant would see a sprawling super-metropolis sprout up around it, and eventually the plant was decommissioned. Then, in 2008, the decommissioned plant was transformed into a decadent steam-punk speakeasy type of restaurant and lounge, and thus the Edison was born.

To be upfront, the Edison is still our absolute favorite venue in downtown LA even after 10 years of being open. There is no other place quite like it. The mix of history, futurism and 1920’s charm makes it one of the most unique venues anywhere, and we mean anywhere on the planet. The venue has an underground appeal because it literally is underground and takes you back to an era when jazz music exploded and the good time were roaring in the 1920’s.

The 1920’s them is partially created by the very strictly enforced dress code. If you ever plan to visit, be sure to give it a good read through as they make zero exceptions at the door. But dressing fancy is a small price to pay (but is looking good really a price to pay?) to experience the authentic charm of the venue. The space is quite massive, with 2 bars, a stage and several dining areas next to old power generating equipment that now serves as decoration. You can even dine inside an old coal furnace, complete with functional hatches.

The food at the Edison is an eclectic assortment of dishes, but a must have are the signature beer nuts. They are an insanely good snack and we have to have them about 90% of the time we are there. What’s more impressive than the food options are the drink selections, as The Edison’s drink and cocktail selection is very extensive. And for the 1920’s connoisseur, they feature a hefty selection of absinthe. And on weekend, an actual green fairy can be spotted with a chest filled with vials of the night’s specialty absinthe. One time when she graced us with her presence we had a most decant absinthe that was blended with elderflower.

To top it all off, The Edison features a variety of different entertainers on evening, from Cirque Du Soleil style aerialists to burlesque shows, The Edison keeps it’s routine fresh and enjoyable for all. This place is a must visit for anyone in LA, as after a decade of business, the fact that it’s still thriving is a testament to how an integral a part of the Los Angeles experience it has become.

Cheers,

-JB

Nightlife Spotlight: Poppy

February 17, 2018March 6, 2018 / Club R / Leave a comment

Venue: Poppy

Address: 755 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Website: hwoodgroup.com/poppy

Hours: Thurs – Fri 11 pm – 2 am

Best Days: Thursday and Friday

Imagine a venue only officially open for 6 hours each week. Then imagine it’s got a chic lounge, world-class DJ’s, and the “hot” factor strong enough to melt icecaps. Imagine no more, Poppy is here.

Poppy is a very high-style club and cocktail lounge that’s one of the new kids on the block. Located in West Hollywood, this venue literally wastes no time as it’s only open on Thursdays and Fridays, and the doors open at 11 pm. That’s right, you only have 3 hours and two chances a week to experience it. Always leave them wanting more and Poppy does just that.

As far as the layout goes, it is similar to Warwick and Avenue in Hollywood, with a main area that has tables in the center and then tables lining the walls by the DJ booth. Poppy also has a back area lounge and bar, so if one need s a break from dancing and insanely loud music, they can chill in the back with slightly-less-than insanely loud music.

For average civilians getting into Fort Knox would be an easier task, but if you’re willing to negotiate a price of admission at the door (and by negotiate, we mean pay whatever number they tell you), you may find yourself getting to enjoy newest “it” club in LA. We happen to be connected to the promoter there, so feel free to contact us if you to go the non-civilian route. But to be at the latest “it” venue, you have to pay to play, so don’t be surprised by some high table rates and pricey drinks at the bar.

All in all Poppy is the ultimate club experience LA has to offer, so if that’s you’re scene then you won’t be disappointed. We had a fun time there and having 2 Chainz make a surprise appearance and give an impromptu concert was awesome. You never know what can happen during a night out at a club.

Cheers,

-JB

Nightlife Spotlight: Toca Madera

January 6, 2018March 6, 2018 / Club R / Leave a comment

Venue: Toca Madera

Address: 8450 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Website: tocamadera.com

Hours: Sun 11 am -12 am, Mon – Thurs 5 pm – 2 am, Fri – Sat 5 pm – 2 am

Best Days: Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays

Tucked away on the edge of West Hollywood lies a very special place. What makes this place so special you, ask? Do they have drinks? Yes they do. Do they have food? You bet. So what makes this spot a cut above the rest?

First, one must look at all the details to see how they fit together. Toca Madera is nestled on 3rd st and LaCienaga, which puts it the neighborhood of other trendy West Hollywood venues and makes them all an accessible 5-8 minute Uber drive. Toca Madera is a high end Mexican cuisine restaurant and lounge which features a diverse menu of various dishes, from Carne Asada to several unique style of ceviche and everything in between. All food is made with organic and locally sourced ingredients to ensure it’s as fresh as possible. It’s a fantastic place to get dinner, a quick night out snack or go for Sunday brunch. Of course, they also run a special all day Happy Hour for Taco Tuesday. And these Taco Tuesdays also feature performances by special DJ’s and fire dancers. Yes, fire dancers.

Toca Madera takes the lounge aspect just as seriously as the resonant aspect, so they feature a rotation of various top end DJ’s to keep the music and atmosphere in a constant state of activity. Another factor that aids in this are the specialty cocktails. There are plenty of signature drinks like Margaritas and Old Fashions which they put their own twist on, but they also have some signature in house cocktails that are sure to delight. Our personal favorite is the Agua Fresca, which uses a charred pineapple and cinnamon infused vodka with lemon juice, coconut water and fresh ground cinnamon on top. We could literally drink those all night, but unfortunately Toca Madera can’t serve alcohol past 2 am, like everywhere else in LA.

The restaurant is laid out in a very unique way, in that the main room has a large marble topped bar in the center of the space. Around the bar are lounge tables, a DJ Booth and a photo booth. In the room behind the main room, there is a wall of decorated skulls lining the back where more tables are. On the second floor of this room is a tree house section, with tables that offer up close aerial views of the back room’s center petrified tree.

So with top-tier food, drinks and atmosphere, what else could one want? The last missing element is the crowd and staff. The crowd that typically frequents the venue tend to be very internationally diverse and very festive. Unlike a lot of clubs, where people go more to be seen at their tables than mingle, the environment at Toca Madera is very conducive to people mingling and interacting, which can be a difficult trick to foster organically. And the last element is the top notch staff, which miraculously is somehow filled with genuinely cool people from top to bottom. From the busboys to the hostesses, bartenders and managers, the staff are the magic that keeps everything together to create a place where you will have great experiences time after time. Add the fact that they continually add special events and guest entertainers and you have a special place that never offers the same exact experience twice.

After 3 years of business and a formula that has made they very successful, he’d highly recommend checking this place out. It tops our list as our favorite LA Nightlife venue and after a trip there you’ll be sure to see why.

Cheers,

-JB