The Guys stop by this classic West Hollywood Chinese-themed spot that has long been known as "where the stars dine"; just across the street from The Lot studios (the old Warner's studio) and in a building that housed, at one time, the production offices for United Artists (that's right, Mary Pickford, Doug Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin!) and an old railcar for the rail line that ran down Santa Monica Boulevard, the Formosa Cafe is an intersection of Old and New Hollywood to the n'th degree.
The Happy Hour Guys take their first official trip to Southern California! After landing in LA and spending some time snooping around Historic Bars in the City of Angels (teaser for next week’s episode), Jimmy and the Happy Hour Babe, Lisa Datz, made their way to Santa Barbara County and the Santa Ynez Valley; there, in a small town named Lompoc and nestled unobtrusively in an industrial park, is a place they’d heard whispers about, Palmina Winery.
In 1880, James Deans Oyster House became The White Horse Tavern and its been serving New Yorkers ever since. For decades, the White Horse was a simple working man's bar. In the 1950s, the White Horse was discovered by a group of artists, writers, liberals and journalists and became a hub of progressive thinking. The Village Voice was conceived there. The Clancy Brothers played here in their early days. Of course, it took Dylan Thomas (see video) to launch them into barroom lore. In fact, Robert Zimmerman was so influenced by Thomas that he was the inspiration for his name change: Bob Dylan. Today one of New York's last remaining wood frame buildings, The White Horse takes as much care of their everyday patrons as they do of their frequent celebrity guests. Thats probably one of the reason they're still thriving, and you can still get one of the city's best (and most reasonable) burgers.
The Guys make their way to SOHO, the iconic NYC neighborhood full of great stories, stellar shops, and fantastic bars. We came downtown in search of the best happy hour ever, and Lure Fish Bar has, no joke, perhaps the finest 5-7PM weekday slot we have ever experienced. And that's really saying something, because... well, we're The Happy Hour Guys! Seriously - if you're within 500 Nautical miles of SOHO, head to the poop deck and turn your ship in Lure's direction. Say hello to Josh, Mim, Kelly and the whole crew, and if you have half as much fun as we had, you'll be in safe harbor indeed. The oysters are fresh, the drinks are amazing, and the prices, well... they lie many fathoms deep. Anchors Aweigh!
As the winter winds howl and the snow deepens, many thoughts turn to the seasonal beers, those winter brews; but how to solve the mysteries of Stouts, Porters and Warmers? The Happy Hour Guys are on the case, tracking down exactly what to expect from these cold weather quaffs. And being The Happy Hour Guys, we go straight to one of the best sources around: Scott Vaccaro, owner and head brewer at Captain Lawrence Brewing Company in NYC’s backyard. Scott’s beers have been winning awards and gaining attention since he started producing them in 2005. Captain Lawrence is now featured on most lists of the USA’s best breweries. We traveled to the brewery in Westchester (easily accessible via Metro North Railroad to Pleasantville) to demystify those dark and stormy winter brews. Do your ears perk up at the mention of chocolate, coffee, and toffee? Then you have to see this…
An empty stretch of Astoria, New York takes on a new life with the addition of Club 21, a new bar in an old building. What do a top-secret Czech liquor, a formerly illegal substance of French origin, a top-notch menu combining Old World fare with New World favorites, a beer garden, late night dancing, and some of the best Czech and German beers have in common? Well, watch and find out! Cheers!
The Allagash Brewing Company has risen from its humble, 'one-man operation' beginnings to become one of the most respected breweries operating today in the U.S.: Founder Rob Tod identified that the Belgian style of brewing was under-represented in the states and well, he did something about it. Today, Allagash combines traditional Belgian brewing techniques with American creativity to produce some of the most distinctive beers on the market, many bottled using the méthode champenoise (look it up). Combine all of that with a commitment to local philanthropy through their Tribute series and their location in the picturesque city of Portland, Maine, and you can see why we chose one of their brews for our first tasting in this series.
Enjoy! Its the next best thing to drinking it yourself!
