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Caroline on Crack

For Your Fix on L.A.

My Top 10 Favorite Cocktails From 2008Today

I had a lot of cocktails last year but only a few were memorable. Here are my top 10 cocktail faves from my bar adventures in 2008. They’re listed from most recent to so not recent.

1) No Named Bourbon Cocktail at Riva: This baby was off the menu and created by the bartender, a bourbon lover herself. It was an extremely tasty concoction of bourbon, dry Vermouth, apricot liqueur, St. Germain elderflower and some lemon juice.

2) Manhattan at Osteria Mozza: The Manhattan here was perfect, soo delicious and smooth. There was a little extra tang of something in the savoring of it that I couldn’t put my finger on. AND they used brandied cherries instead of the despicable maraschino cherries. I tell ya, there’s nothing like sipping on a Manhattan at a beautiful marble bar with your honey on a cold winter night.

Caroline on Crack 2009 CalendarYesterday

I originally made this calendar for my cubicle because I couldn’t find anything with pictures that I liked enough to stare at for a whole month. So I compiled my favorite shots of my blogging adventures last year. Nope, not pictures of family, friends and other people you don’t know or care about. And no pics of me like in this 2007 calendar. Rather, detail shots of yummy cocktails, colorful images and L.A. nightlife scenes. The calendar starts off with a Manhattan at Father’s Office 2.0 and ends in December with stoned Santas from SantaCon.

I wish I could have added the title of each shot to the calendar as well as L.A. events. That would have been awesome. As it is, if you like L.A. detail shots, you might like this calendar which is $16.19. You can get a 20% discount through January 16 by entering the code “newshoes” at time of purchase in the coupon field.

BTW, it doesn’t take too long for Qoop to get these out. I had ordered my calendar on Saturday the 3rd and got it delivered today, the 8th. Anyway

This Weekend: Pervy Puppets, First Fridays and dineLAYesterday

Restaurant.com Deal: Pay $5 for a $25 Restaurant CertificateJanuary 7

Flickr Shot by dotsara (detail)

Thanks to TravelZoo for this.

Pay only $5 for a $25 meal at fancy restaurants like Parc Hollywood and Aqua Lounge. Restaurant.com, purveyor of restaurant gift certificates, is having an awesomely special deal through January 12 where you can buy an already discounted restaurant certificate at an additional 50% off AND you get a $10 certificate for FREE after you place an order!

That means that, say, you purchase a $25 certificate for Parc Hollywood for $10 (regular price) and apply the promo code “FLASH.” You get an additional 50% off and are charged only $5 for that $25 certificate! Plus they throw in that $10 certificate after you place your order.

And fyi, there are also $10 certificates available for $3 on some restaurants. That means $1.50 for a $10 gc! Right? Or is my math off?

Sure, you won’t find restaurants like Osteria Mozza on this gift certificate list but would you turn down a $15 dinner for two at

Post-Holiday Sales: Fred Segal 50% Off and Polkadots & Moonbeams’ Winter SaleJanuary 7

Fred Segal Santa Monica 50% Off Sale

The department store of trendy folk is kicking off its 50% sale this Friday the 9th. Yes, half off EVERYthing. So if you didn’t get what you wanted this past holiday, you can get it now. That studded Sex and the City belt is now $103.50. Ooh.

But that’s not the best part. You, my dear Crackheads, can partake of the 50% discount earlier than the general public, on Thursday night 4 to 9pm, just for reading this post!

I checked with David at Fred Segal Eyes and he said that even though Thursday night has been billed as a “private presale,” my peeps can still get in. No, they won’t check names at the door and they won’t turn people away either. In this economy? Pshaw!

EVENT:  PRESALE - THURSDAY 4-9pm; FRIDAY & SATURDAY 10-7pm; SUNDAY 12-6pm

Fred Segal Santa Monica, 420 & 500 Broadway, Santa Monica (map).
(310) 394-1875.