Check It. Seventy 7 Lounge.

Thanks to Thrillist, I know about this awesome-sounding bar that opens tonight.

Seventy 7 Lounge is the latest "secret" watering hole in town, in the same vein as the very cool La Descarga rum bar on Western. Look out for the neon "cocktails" sign, and check their Twitter page day-of for the password needed for entry.

Once in, enjoy vintage-style decor and creative cocktails like the Moulin Rouge and Velvet Underground, and/or Hoegaarden on tap.

The password for tonight is "prohibition".

3843 Main Street in Culver City. Info: (310) 559-7077, twitter.com/seventy7la

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Thrillist

Drink It. Big Bar at Alcove.

It was big news in Los Feliz when Big Bar at Alcove opened last fall. This past weekend was the first time I made it there, and it was so delicious, I'll definitely be back.

After a late dinner at Speranza, my boyfriend, our friend, and I were looking for a well-crafted cocktail. After considering Cole's Red Car Bar and The Hungry Cat, we thought of Big Bar and headed up Hillhurst.

The bar itself is actually quite small (about ten leather stools surrounding a light gray marble bar, and some small tables in the room as well), with attractive decor like vintage light fixtures and plenty of silver.

I started out with one of their specialty drinks, The New Brunswick: Famous Grouse Scotch, maple syrup, and lemon (pictured above). It reminded me slightly of a sidecar, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Everything on the menu sounded so good, when it came time for round two, I switched to the Bourbon Milk Punch, which disappeared in record time. I held off on ordering another, but it could have easily gone that way. It was crisp, cold, refreshing, and totally delicious, topped with freshly ground nutmeg.

Hank stuck with the citrusy margarita-like tequila-based option, The Lily. I had a sip and found it quite tart, but if you're not one for sweet concoctions, you'd love it.

Also good to know: the bartenders are happy to chat about what liquors/flavors you generally like, and create an off-the-menu mixed drink just for you.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: the BEAT

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the BEAT of young los angeles!

Thank you, as always, for reading.

-- the BEAT

Photo credit: picsicio.us

Check It. Nerd Boyfriend.

It's all too easy to find out what/who/whatever current starlets are wearing. But what great male actors, authors, and musicians wear usually remains a mystery.

Nerd Boyfriend has the breakdown of some awesome outfits famous men have been seen wearing. My favorite is Dennis Hopper's "Slamxhype" outfit (seen above). Excellent glasses and jacket. But I'm also keen on Kurt Vonnegut and John Water's shoes, and the excellent suits worn by W.H. Auden, Cecil Day Lewis, and Stephen Spender.

Each vintage shot on the site has the outfits broken down by articles of clothing with a link to where you can buy similar cool guy/dork outfits. Some of the "Nerd Boyfriend" looks I think ladies could totally rock too, like Jackson Pollack's sandals .. or maybe not.

-- Lauren Williams

Photo credit: Nerd Boyfriend.

Advance Notice. Men Men style talk at LACMA.

Love the costumes in Mad Men? Who doesn't, really? There's an awesome sounding book coming out this fall by the show's costume designer Janie Bryant, and Monica Corcoran Harel (who, when at the Los Angeles Times, wrote the best All the Rage blog posts for the Image section).

While you'll have to wait till November for The Fashion File: Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men, you can hear Bryant and Corcoran Harel discuss it at LACMA this Wednesday night.

They'll talk about the process behind the clothes worn on the hit show, and how it has influenced fashion today. A fashion show and reception to follow discussion.

Wednesday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m. LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles. Tickets are $60 and available online.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: nyu.edu

Happy April Fool's Day, y'all!

Don't get fooled!

Today is April Fool's Day, and we at the BEAT would like to wish you a happy one.

-- the BEAT

Photo credit: www.modernvespa.com

Etc. Palm Springs weekend.

Sometimes you just have to get away. Palm Springs is an easy two hour drive from Los Angeles, and is relaxing in a simple vintage kind of way (it still looks much like the photo above). Most of the city is centered around North Palm Canyon Drive, which I can't help calling "Main Street". You enter town through this main strip of shops and restaurants, and immediately realize the charm of the little desert city. The big mountains on the right, the clear blue sky above, and the warm dry air all around are all indicators that it's time to take it easy.

When in Palm Springs for a weekend, I look forward to a dinner out and an evening stroll. Palm Springs stays warm past dark for a lot of the year, so often a sweater isn't even necessary. Las Casuelas Terraza is a favorite for a fun atmosphere (they have a live band and outdoor seating), great margaritas and Mexican food, but they are always beyond packed on weekend nights, so I'm usually looking for alternatives. Tony's Pasta Mia is a true Italian, and decorated very 1980s in the best possible way. This Saturday past night we found a really good Thai spot, Pepper's Thai Cuisine. The tofu yellow curry and chicken fried rice were both delicious. They don't have a full bar, but some variety of beer and wine (and Thai iced tea, of course).

Palm Springs is known for it's mid-century modern architecture. There are several tours you can take to be guided by professionals, but you can easily check out Elvis' Palm Springs hideaway yourself. The current owners also offer all kind of options for getting a look inside. There's also lots of vintage and modern shopping along North Palm Canyon Drive.

A great off-the-beaten path place for a nightcap is Melvyn's Restaurant & Lounge at the Ingleside Inn. It's a beautiful, fancy, old-school piano bar, and the Inn has a rich history. Melvyn himself is at the lounge meeting and greeting his customers. It's quite a special place, but don't go unless you're dressed up, it just wouldn't feel right.

For morning coffee, there's a convenient drive-thru Starbucks, and there's the very popular local spot Koffi. Koffi takes coffee seriously, and can make everything from an individually brewed cup of Kona coffee to a malted mocha ice blended with house-made whipped cream.

There's lots more to do that I'm leaving out, in the spirit of writing about a simple weekend getaway.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.californiahistorian.com

Check It. Bettie Page Clothing Hollywood.

As dirty as parts of Hollywood Blvd. are, there are some treasures along it--Musso & Frank's, the Egyptian Theatre ... and Bettie Page Clothing, which opened last summer.

When I read this Los Angeles Times Image blog by Monica Corcoran (who is now writing a "Mad Men" fashion book with the show's costume designer, Janie Bryant) in December 2008, an appreciation of the late bombshell's style, I knew I had to visit the store (then, only in Las Vegas, where I just happened to be going later that month.) It was very cool, but at the time I wasn't in the market for a new dress.

With Valentine's Day approaching, I thought I'd point out this potentially hidden treasure to anyone searching for a girly getup. They also carry a variety of accessories, including Tres Noir sunglasses, which come in several pretty shades of red. Holly Madison and Leighton Meester are fans.

Bettie Page Clothing is located at 6650 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.theage.com.au