Top Irish Bars, March Madness. LA Marathon Beer Garden & Ms Russia L.A.
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Blogger
Welcome to the PubClub.com South Bay Party Report!
The Party Report is brought to you by Kona Brewing Company. Be sure and try its new Hanalei Island IPA, on tap at both The Slip and Shellback Tavern!
There is no video YouTube version this week. You can blame it on the fog but really it’s because PubClub is on the go with several press events, sampling the spring menu (including drinks) at the fantastic Five Crowns restaurant in Corona del Mar, lunch (including drinks) at the awesome-location Back Bay Bistro in Newport Beach and even the debut of a new menu of drinks that are going to be served at select Ruby’s restaurants (Huntington Beach, alas, not our Ruby’s diner here in Redondo).
MARCH MADNESS – UCLA & USC
It’s here, the most exciting, frustrating, heart-stopping, bracket-busting rip-up-your-picks-in-the-bar sporting event of the year! The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament starts Thursday morning and you better have your brackets filled out by the time you go to bed on Wednesday.
Actually, for USC the tournament starts a day early; its plays one one of the feed-in games, against Providence (6:10 p.m. TruTV). The winner will become the #11 seed in the East Region and play No. 6 seed SMU.
UCLA enters as a #3 seed in the South Region but gets to play in Sacramento, Friday nite against Kent State (7 p.m.). Win that then the Bruins will likely play Cincinnati on Sunday. Something hanging over the Bruins’ head is a potential non-shooting thumb injury to star freshman point guard Lonzo Ball (whose dad is getting a bit chipper in comments this week, to say the least). And as this Ball rolls, so do the Bruins.
One thing to keep in mind when making your picks: Oregon lost a big man, forward Chris Boucher, with a knee injury, which may have ended the Ducks’ chances of making the Final Four.
Don’t know which teams to pick or what to do – no worries! PubClub.com has this ultimate survival guide to March Madness!
ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN THE SOUTH BAY
Fresh off last Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Hermosa Beach, the South Bay is primed to party for the actual day, which is Friday.
You know the bars on the pier will be packed, in particular Sharkeez, Patrick Molloy’s Hennessey’s, Mermaid and the new Tower 12. As well as Barnacles and Mickey McCoolgan’s. Be prepared for long lines starting between 5-6 and cover charges of $5-10 at some bars at the Hermosa pier.
Hennessey’s Redondo Beach will have its usual tent in the back parking lot with live music and a cover charge and a pretty good Irish scene ($10)…Shellback Tavern has specials on shots of Irish whiskey…Saint Rocke has a U2 cover band, Hollywood U2, featuring a lead singer who has actually sung with Bono ($15)…Shade Hotel Redondo Beach is hosting Taste of the South Bay in conjunction with the LA Kings. Participating restaurants include Strand House, Rock’n Fish, Darren’s, Paul Martin’s American Grill, El Gringo and Fresh Brothers from Manhattan Beach; Rock & Brews, Captain Kid’s and R10 Social House from Redondo Beach; Hot’s Kitchen from Hermosa Beach: Salt Creek Grille and King’s Cove from El Segundo; Coni’s Seafood from Inglewood; and Melissa’s Produce. Tickets are $100 and proceeds support the Kings Kids Foundation. Link: https://www.nhl.com/kings/community/kings-care/taste-south-bay
ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN L.A.
There’s a lot of Irish bars in Los Angeles, from Hollywood to Orange County. Here’s a rundown of the top St. Patrick’s Day bars in L.A., and what they have happening on the 17th.
There is also a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl in Santa Monica! In fact, there’s two of them, one on Friday and another on Saturday. You must register in advance and then check in at Circle Bar. Check-in starts at 2 but these are really night-time events, with bars having drink specials. Sign up on Facebook.
SMACKFEST EVENTS CLASSES START THIS WEEK
March Madness is not confined to men’s basketball. We have our own version here and it’s the Smackfest Events classes! Three start in March and two this week: the coed 4s volleyball league on Tuesday, and Hermosa volleyball classes on Thursday. The kickball league starts on March 29. Sign up here for all these at Smackfest Events.
THIS WEEKEND EVENTS IN THE SOUTH BAY
Have you checked out the new Tower 12 yet? If you said no, why not!? It’s well well done and is a comfy place to have great food, cocktails, beers and conversations…The Mermaid has adjusted its weekend Happy Hour. It no longer goes until 7, but 3-5 on Saturdays and Sundays…The Angry Donkey band is at Standing Room on Saturday (no cover).
THIS WEEKEND EVENTS IN L.A.
Here’s a couple of events taking place in Los Angeles on the weekend.
• Ms. Russian L.A Pageant
Feel more Russian than Irish on St. Patrick’s Day? Then head to the Ms. Russian L.A. Pageant, taking place Friday nite at the Taglyan Cultural Complex (1201 Vine Street). Red carpet is at 8:30, with the event starting at 9:30. There are 10 girls competing for the title, the event has live music and the 2016 winner was Samantha Safir, who was a guest performer on Dancing With The Stars. Tickets are $135, $175 for VIP.
Link: Ms. Russian Los Angeles Event Website
• LA Marathon Is Sunday
The run from Dodger Stadium to Santa Moncia takes place on Sunday. There’s a beer garden at the finish line from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., open to anyone. It’s located at Santa Monica Blvd., between Ocean Avenue and 2nd St.
Link: www.lamarathon.com
That’s it for the PubClub.com South Bay Party Report. For this and more, to to PubClub.com Where The South Bay – And The World! – Goes To Party!
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