One of my favorite bars in Los Angeles is the Spare Room. Naturally, I was very excited when they did a pop-up bar in New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail. The Spare Room in Hollywood has bowling- just two lanes. They took over New Orleans Rock and Bowl and invited bartenders to compete. In bowling, that is. Punches were provided as well as an array of food.

Beverage Director Naomi Schimek is always the most hospitable host. She welcomed all and I wasn’t concerned at all about her punches. Sometimes I’m a bit wary of pre-batched drinks but the ones I tried were perfect. I really liked the Louisiana Porch Swing (Absolut, Pernod absinthe, peach melba tea, lemon, mint, Peychaud’s bitters).

 

Of course by the end of the night, the drinks may have turned into shots.

 

But that only helped get people on the dance floor.

 

And try their hand at bowling.

 

Here’s a group of sketchy characters. Oh wait, those are the Los Angeles bartenders.

Hey yo, why are you naked? L.A. bartender Adrian Biggs replied, “so people would wonder if we’re really bartenders. When do we have time to work out?”

 

The Spare Room

Tales of the Cocktail

© The Minty // LA Cocktails  2012