The hordes of freshly minted bankers, stock traders and lawyers who shoehorn their way into PJ Clarke’s every night may, at first, obscure the 125 years of history that the unassuming watering hole has weathered. But wait for the place to quiet down a bit, and the ghosts will come out. Stand at the spot at the long, sturdy bar where Johnny Mercer wrote “One For My Baby.” Wander into the back room and sit at the corner table inside the little nook – that’s Table 20, Sinatra’s regular spot. Have a cocktail and feel the spirits of Nat King Cole, Jacqueline Onassis, Buddy Holly and so many others who’ve made the place a destination spot for so long.

Clarke’s opened in 1884 at the corner of 55^th St. and 3^rd Ave., and for its first seven decades resided in the shadows of the Third Avenue El, the elevated railway tracks that kept property values low on the avenue until they were torn down in the ‘50s. Today, the squat two-story building inhabited by Clarke’s (and its more upscale upstairs neighbor, Sidecar) is surrounded by massive skyscrapers of glass and steel. But despite a massive renovation a few years ago, it still looks and feels remarkably the same as it did in 1945, when it was seen in the great Ray Milland film The Lost Weekend.

You won’t find craft bartenders with bushy beards who infuse their own vodkas using artisanal ingredients. But you’ll find a thoroughly professional staff, all of whom know how to take care of a large group of people in a small and noisy space, and don’t cut corners when it comes to making a good cocktail. I’ve turned on more than a few bourbon novices to PJ’s excellent Manhattans (I prefer mine with Knob Creek). It’s the perfect ratio of whiskey to vermouth to bitters, delicious on its own or with a Cadillac burger—which consistently places at or near the top of the many “best burgers in NYC” surveys—and their signature home fries.

PJ’s is mobbed virtually every night, with a clientele ranging from 20-something investment bankers to the likes of Jake LaMotta and Christopher Hitchens. The best time to go is late – preferably after midnight on a cold, rainy evening – when you can get some elbow room at the bar or get seated at Sinatra’s Table 20, and commune with the ghosts. Put a couple of bucks into the jukebox and select a few Billie Holiday tunes, and you’ll feel the vibe even more deeply. The kitchen is open until 3:30 and the bar keeps serving for a little while after that, so take your time and drink in a piece of Manhattan’s history while you’re drinking your cocktail.

(FYI, Clarke’s has expanded in recent years, opening two other locations in Manhattan and one in Chicago, but they’re pale imitations of the original at 55^th St.)

I often get asked which bars are my favorites in LA. I personally have a rotating Top 3, with my Top Ten being more or less staples. Because people seem interested, I’m going to make a point of publicly declaring my favorite ones from now on – and why I like them so much.

LA DESCARGA is one of those places that I wish not so many people knew about. I mean, its so good, you want to keep it all for yourself - and maybe a few select friends. But, nowadays, with info at the speed of tapping fingertips, nothing is sacred, nothing is secret. So, as the saying goes, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!

Mark and John Houston, the sibling duo behind several LA bars wanted to bring Latin culture alive in the LA bar scene, and managed to do just that with La Descarga. First off, I am quite fond of the creative team behind La Descarga, Pablo Moix and Steve Livigni. They are truly passionate, work hard and 'get' that bar experience should be about the guest, not the bartender. The bar staff is the conduit of the establishment and the drinks. And, if the establishment is welcoming, fun and full of kick-ass cocktails, the mixology team should be as well.

Then, there’s the ambiance. I don’t want to spoil any surprises for La Descarga virgins, so let’s just say that if you’ve been to PDT in New York (whereby you make reservations to go ahead of time, and enter through a phone booth inside a hotdog joint), you’ll have some idea of what its like to arrive at La Descarga.

Downtown LA newsflash: The Doheny is about to get a whole lot busier. The once exclusive (pricey) members-only drinking club is opening its doors a little wider, and inviting the rum-lovers of the world to come in. It is keeping the members-only concept, only now the annual fee is an accessible $20, and it will transform the way Angelenos think of Tiki cocktails.

John Coltharp formerly the whiskey aficionado of Seven Grand, got the rum bug and was itching to get a specialty bar up-and-running. Cedd Moses, a principal in the 213 Downtown LA group (Seven Grand, Las Perlas, Golden Gopher, among others) saw an opportunity to breathe new life into his jewel box bar, while jumping on a hot trend. Joel Black, formerly the head mixologist at Comme Ca is bar manager. And - a wonderful surprise - NYC star bartender Allan Katz (who followed his Californian lady-love to La La Land) is also shaking & stirring killer tiki drinks at Cana.

Many of us at The Liquid Muse get around the world a bit.  This overview of shochu is provided to us by Vanessa McGrady, a LA-based writer who also blogs at 40Licious and Art of the Find.

I’m a lucky person, it turns out. So lucky, in fact, that I was invited on a 10-day press trip to Japan, where the good folks of the Japanese External Trade Organization gave me and seven other American writers a crash course in Japanese food, drink and culture.

It started as a debate as to whether or not to incorporate Foie Gras into the menu at El Bizcocho, the fine dining restaurant at San Diego’s picturesque urban-escape Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort & Spa . Not only did that discussion end with a resounding “no” against serving overstuffed goose livers but the conversation swung in the opposite direction, resulting in a 7-course vegan dinner.

Now, don’t get the wrong idea. El Bizcocho’s Executive Chef Judd Canepari - who is of Italian origin to boot - does not consider himself a “vegan chef” but he was up for what he calls the “ultimate challenge”… and by all accounts, he passed with flying colors. “I could eat vegan every day if he’d prepare the food!” was a common declaration at our table.

As if this adventure wasn’t already enticing enough, each course was paired with selections from Temecula’s biodynamic Leonesse Winery. Local olive oil was used in the seasonal dishes, and Chef Leah Di Bernardo from Delyte’s Catering Co. and President Temecula Valley Slow Food chapter, also provided insights into healthier cooking. “The food we eat affects how we think, feel and treat others,” she says, “so eat good, clean food.” Di Bernardo also contributed a dish of her own for Course 4, as you’ll see in the menu below:

I love supporting my fellow boozey broads – both behind the bar and online. That’s why when Kara Newman reached out with her idea for an online cocktail party featuring drinks from her snazzy lil cocktail book “Spice & Ice,” I was delighted to join in. Our mission was to choose a drink from the book, make it and do a little blog post about it. I’m a tequila lover, so I opted for the Blackberry-Poblano Margarita.

This is a super sipper for warm weather relaxation. I actually like my margaritas nice & limey, so in addition to the ingredients in Kara’s recipe below (excerpted from Spice & Ice), I added about ¼ of fresh lime juice. Delicious!

If you’re into spicy flavors, or into cocktails, Kara’s book is a great addition to you mixology library. Cheers, Kara. (Now… back to that drink!) Recipe here: