With the money you save, have dinner at any one of the numerous restaurants along Hollywood Blvd. I recommend happy hour at Katsuya, nachos and a jalapeno margarita at Loteria or a delish burger and a beer at Lucky Devils.

Make sure you check it out before Wicked leaves town. The show is only here through mid January then it’s off, up the yellow brick road to San Fran. Disclosure: Goldstar is a Dig Lounge advertiser, but we still think they are rad.

* Flickr photo by j3ku used under Creative Commons license.

Ahoy there matey. Care to take a trip with me to pirate town? A world where scallywags and carousers are a plentiful? Look no further than these land loving pirate bars right in your own back yard. Your first stop for food and grog is Redwood Bar in Downtown. This bar, from Jason Michaud of Cobras & Matadors, has an extensive menu of standard pub fare. The fish and chips are beer battered and come with home made potato chips. They were large pieces of fish, evenly battered and stood out with just a little lemon juice and malt vinegar. The burgers are 100 percent Angus and served on brioche buns from La Brea Bakery. They have a lot of other options that look just as good, like the mussels with fries, or a rock shrimp BLT Panini, grilled cheese, turkey pot pie and crab cakes.

Fish and chips at Redwood

They have a few beers on tap and their hard alcohol drinks are kinda small and inconsistent. One can be really strong and the next could be more soda than booze. I usually stick with the beer. If you’re really feeling in the mood, order a swig of rum.

The décor is definitely pirate. Two large masts hang over the bar, with fish netting adorning the walls. A skull and cross bones hangs proudly over the center of the bar. Blues crooner Mickey Champion even plays on Tuesday nights here. They are open Mon-Fri 11am-2am, Sat-Sun 5pm-2am with happy hour specials from 5-7pm.

Pirate flag at Crazy Hook

Before you get land legs, you better set sail for your next destination, Crazy Hook. A pirate themed sports bar of sorts in Korea Town, here you order beer by the cubic centimeter; 3000CC or 5000CC. They also have a “combo” where you can throw in some standard bar fare like nachos or chicken wings with your beer for just a few dollars more. The rest of the menu is mainly Korean dishes and we were so full from our dinner at Redwood we just tried some nachos. Which were pretty standard, but had a sweet flavor to them we couldn’t put our finger on. The only downside to the beer towers is the fact that your choices are limited to Michelob and Budweiser.

Pirate rating; 5 out of 5 at Crazy Hook

The décor here is ultra pirate with sails draping the ceilings, pirate statues everywhere, and murals of pirates painted all over the walls. Flat screen TVs play sports and Korean pop music plays in the background. The place is huge, with tables lined up and down rows separated by faux wood paneling.

A pirate wench who shared the password

For your final stop of the night you’ll need a secret password to get in. While the R Bar isn’t over the top pirate like Redwood and Crazy Hook, it’s definitely got that dark nautical feel to it. There are nooks and crannies all over to drink your rum and converse with friends. The drinks here are stiff. The menu is limited to a handful of random items like hummus, garlic fries, sausages and chicken wings. The jukebox is one of the better ones in town.

The password isn’t super hard to come by, but they ask that you don’t pass it around like a five dollar pirate wench. And it changes occasionally to keep the undesirables out. Parking your pirate ship is a pain point, but they have valet on the weekends. During the week you are on your own.

So bucko, get ye to a pirate bar and drink to your hearts content. And remember, a dead man tells no tales.

Redwood Bar and Grill
316 West 2nd Street, at Broadway

Crazy Hook
3250 Wilshire Blvd, just west of Vermont

R Bar
3331 West Eighth Street, at Irolo Street

Photo from theredwoodbar.com, used under Creative Commons

In case you don’t know, uWink is a concept by Atari and Chuck E Cheese founder Nolan Bushnell. According to the web site it’s “an interactive, social restaurant where at-the-table touchscreens let you be in control of your meal and your fun.”

We roll in on a Sunday night and the place is pretty empty. The décor looks like something out of a bad early 90’s sci-fi movie. The only type of techno interactions in this place are the screens popping out of the tables. Other than that, it’s just some flashy colored lights sprayed against the walls.

We’re seated promptly by the super duper extra cheery hostess. Yay! We’re seated at the back of the restaurant (why the very back, I’m not sure) and then painstakingly instructed on how to use the ordering system.

We begin to explore the easy to use, but less then attractive interactive menu. Bright colors, with big pictures of foods and drinks, Just check out the menu on the website, it’s not much different than that. They have a few specialty cocktails, filled with booze, nothing that you haven’t seen anywhere else before. The pictures don’t do justice for what you actually get. They look like tiny, lifeless drinks, but what you get is actually a large and lip puckering concoction of booze with artificial flavors and coloring. The build your own margarita gives but a couple of choices, on the rocks or straight up (who drinks a margarita straight up?), garnish and type of tequila. Why it’s so limited I’m not sure. What if I wanted to add some muddled cucumbers, or fresh fruit juices?

The food menu is even more uninspiring. A half dozen entrees, a few pastas, a couple of sandwiches and salads, and a build your own burger with a limited number of toppings. They were out of the burger, my first choice. They were out of the pesto pasta, my second choice. I was offered sliders in their place, but I found it odd that you can bring me a few little hamburgers, but not a bid daddy one.

The whole thing was sort of lost on me. If I’m going to use an interactive menu to create my meals, why not give me more choices. There was no advantage to using the interactive menu over just giving it verbally to a server. The games weren’t enough to peak my interest, imagine cell phone games and bar trivia. The whole experience was more like 1999 interactive and not cutting edge 2008 interactive. I remember going to Chuck E Cheese as a kid and being wowed by the selection of video games and animatronic Chuck and his band of singing misfits.

Save yourself the trouble, invite your friends over, order some food from a good restaurant or fire up your grill. It’s game night without the annoying H&H parking and crowds.

June 5: Doug MacDonald Trio (Swing, Straight-Ahead Jazz)
June 6: Blue Hawaiians (Surf, Lounge, Rock)
June 12: Ron Kobayashi Trio (Funk Jazz)
June 13: Once More  (Rock & Roll)
June 19: Otis Hayes (R&B & Jazz)
June 20: Tony Galla w/ Janelle Sadler (Rhythm & Blues)
June 26: George Kahn Quintet (Straight-Ahead Jazz)
June 27: Charlie Jene & The Champion All-Stars (Blues, Jazz, R&B)

The music series is FREE and takes place on the Market’s West Patio from 7-9PM.  The Market’s grocers, restaurants, bars and shops are open throughout the performances.

Los Angeles Accordion Festival
The First Annual Los Angeles Accordion Festival kicks off on Friday, May 30 through Sunday, June 1 in Eagle Rock. There will be a no-host bar featuring cocktails, beer and wine. The three-day festival will feature 15 accordion players and their bands showcasing accordion music with diverse styles such as Cajun, Irish, Rockabilly, Tex-Mex, Zydeco, Alternative and Experimental.

3rd Annual tables of Ten
You high rolling foodies will like this. This Friday, May 30, 2008 the Avenues of Art & Design and Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, CA will host Tables of Ten: Dining for a Cause, a dynamic culinary arts and design event. World-renowned designers, showrooms, restaurateurs and chefs unite to create a unique dining experience set among the dramatic outdoor plaza of the Pacific Design Center. Guests will enjoy gourmet dinners prepared by some of California’s most talented chefs at tables outfitted in extravagant design from distinguished designers and showrooms. Proceeds from Tables of Ten will benefit Inner-City Arts and kicks off the Avenues of Art & Design’s 11th Annual Art & Design Walk. Cost is, gasp, $750 a person.

Saturday and Sunday after the jump…

Saturday

LA Derby Dolls
LA’s all-girl banked track roller derby continues their season, pitting the 2007 league champions, the Sirens, against the undefeated-in-2008 Tough Cookies. Live music, food vendors, raffles, it’s sure to be a good time. The bout starts at 6pm, tickets start at $20.

Palos Verdes Street Fair (Sat & Sun)
It’s sure to be a beautiful weekend so why not head out to the beach and check out the Palos Verdes Street Fair and Music Festival. The fair features an art walk, dog show, carnival rides, and live music, along with several food and craft vendors. Admission is free.

Sunday

The Taste of Alhambra
For those of you who say there’s never anything to do in Alhambra, check out The Taste of Alhambra Wine, Food & Music Festival on June1st. From 5-9pm enjoy the unlimited flavors of Alhambra’s diverse restaurants, great wines, brews, & spirits, in a fun outdoor environment! Ticket price is $55 and includes all food and beverages.

Taste of the Nation
Savor the finest dishes and drinks prepared by the nation’s hottest chefs and mixologists, enjoy the best wines and bid in exciting live and silent auctions. 100% of ticket sales help ensure no kid in America grows up hungry. Admission is $115

The Installation 4 Charity Auction
The Installation 4 Tour is now over but the art is up for sale! All proceeds will go to the charity ArtFromScrap.org. The auction takes place this Sunday, June 1st at 4pm at the Installation Los Angeles gallery in Culver City and online. The Scion Installation Art Tour ‘It’s A Beautiful World’ launched in 2003. Scion Installation is a revolutionary art tour featuring work from an unprecedented collective of contemporary artists. There is an open bar if you get thirsty during the display and auction.

First Fridays at the Natural History Museum returns this month. Starting at 5:30, tour the Ancient Latin American Hall by Karen Wise, Ph.D. (Curator in charge of Archaeology). Then at 6:30 a discussion with Leah Krubitzer, Ph.D. entitled “How Does Evolution Build a Complex Brain?” Then from 7:30-10 live performances by Akron/Family and The Dodos. Plus DJ sets before the show by Carlos Niño and Morpho from Dublab. Admission is $9, buy your tickets now.

The folks at Indie 103.1 are hosting the Derby Brewfest at the Pomona Fairplex on Saturday. From 11am to 6pm, five bucks gets you tastings from 40 different micro brews, Kentucky Derby satellite wagering and live music.

Check out the Red Bull Air Races down in San Diego on Sat and Sun. Using the fastest, most agile and lightweight racing planes, pilots navigate a low-level aerial race track made up of air-filled pylons, reaching speeds of 400 kilometres per hour. Qualifying races are on Saturday with finals on Sunday. General Admission is $15, on up to $1k for the High Flyer’s Lounge. Tickets can be purchased online.

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo at LA’s oldest street, Olvera St. Starting Friday May 2 and running all weekend, the celebration will include traditional Hispanic music and dancing, piñatas, lots of churros and yummy food. Admission is free.

Visit Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena at the JPL Open House. This popular event celebrates JPL’s accomplishments with exhibits and demonstrations about the Laboratory’s ongoing research and space exploration. The open house takes place this Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd and 4th, 2008, 9am-5pm both days. Admission is free.

Every Tuesday starting tonight at 6:30pm (through May 27), join Master Sommelier Elizabeth Schweitzer as she educates you on such topics as describing wine, comparing wines from California vs France, cheese and wine pairing and other informative seminars. Classes are $35 each and include wine tasting and appetizers. Attendees also get 10% off of any wine purchase on that night. For more information and to reserve a spot check out their website.

Wine House
2311 Cotner Ave Los Angeles, 90064
Reservations 310-479-3731 ext. 0

Got a chance to check out a Johnnie Walker tasting event at Jim Henson Studios over the weekend. I’ve never been much of a scotch drinker, I prefer bourbon. Mmmmmm Basil Hayden.

Appetizers were a little scarce before the presentation started but I was able to enjoy a nice glass of Black label on the rocks. The presentation was chock full o’ info about the label, the differences in their scotches, and a very small taste of the Black, Gold, Red, Green and Blue labels. The Brand Ambassador (i.e., marketing guy) was entertaining and overall was a great night. You can sign up to be alerted of future tasting events at their web site.

You can schedule your very own Journey event at home too. Order a tasting kit and host your own event or order an exclusive home tasting hosted by a Master of Scotch. Not sure how much it will set you back, but sounds like a good guys night out to me.

Chloe officially opens tonight and after last night I am officially (although secretly) excited* to go out on the West side. Located below Hotel Carmel, the bar is styled like a Paris lounge. The walls are covered with antique mirrors and custom woodwork, comfortable seating and low tables line the walls around a bar that is surrounded by comfortable antique pub stools. Once in your seat be prepared for a great selection of classic and elegant cocktails. So please don’t order a vodka cranberry here. Instead try one of their specialty cocktails like the always pleasant Pimm’s Cup. Or the Whiskey Cobbler, a wonderful blend of Makers, Grand Marnier, and fresh squeezed lemon juice from meyer lemons. There is also a good selection of various champagne cocktails, perfect to bring in the holidays with.

If your looking to grub, they have a perfect menu of small plate food items. If you just want a snack try some housemade olives or spiced pistachios. If you want something more hardy get a small plate of fries perfectly seasoned with sea salt, plump calamari with homemade tartar sauce, the burger with English cheddar and caramelized onions, or the flavorful shrimp roll.

This bar will hands down be the best bar/lounge on the west side. They open at 5pm, which makes it a great place to go after work. Chances are you’ll stay till 2am trying every drink on the menu.

*Disclaimer: Mattyshack (owner of this awesome blog) does web work for The Bar, Magnolia and Chloe.

Chloe
1449 Second St (between Broadway and Santa Monica)
Santa Monica
310-899-6999