5 Reasons Singha Beer Is Great

 

Singha Logo

1) Rating
-Rated with a B (compared to Heineken which is rated with a D) alongside with Sam Adams, which whether you like Sam Adams or not, you do have to admit it is a popular beer. 

2) Products/Merchandise
-Has an intricate logo of a Thai Lion and the gold colors makes the design and products look cool and sophisticated.
-Singha shirts, hats, etc, are very popular and surprisingly receive compliments when worn.  Personal favorite: the black shirts with the gold logo.
-Singha Beer towers tend to be very popular at any event that is held.  People will even try stealing these items, because they can not be purchased.  Try a tower out at least once when you attend a Singha event; they’re pretty cool, and especially convenient if you have a group with you. 

Singha Beer Towers

3) History
-Singha Beer is THE official beer of Thailand, and the first beer to be brewed by a Thai, Boon Rawd in 1933. It is a nation’s heritage.
-Rawd went to Germany to learn how to brew beer since there was not yet any brewing factory or school in Thailand; hence the reason you get German hops in Singha Beer.
-The Majesty King Prajadhipok of Thailand approved of the beer himself (royal approval to make the beer) 

Singha Beer Awards

4) Taste
-Singha Beer is a full-bodied premium lager brewed from 100% barley malt, made with fine hops from Germany.
-Singha Beer is very smooth, rich, and exotic, and Singha Lite is not diluted with water as most lite beers are. Instead it is diluted with tropical fruits from Thailand.
-Compliments a spicy Thai dish perfectly. 

5) Singha Girls
-And let’s not forget about those lovely Singha girls.  Whether they are serving your beer at a Singa Beer Garden for Thai New Year, or driving around in golf carts passing out beers at a tournament, they make any Singha event even more spectacular.  Beer and women. Need I say more? 

*Singha Beer can be found at specialty stores, including: BevMo, Fresh & Easy, Whole Foods, Gelson’s, Mother’s Market, random Ralph’s, random liquor stores, and elsewhere. 

McDonald’s Fillet-o-Fish: What’s in it?

McDonald's fillet-o-fish

McDonald’s is known to not be the most healthy choice of place to eat, correct?  And there’s always rumors about where their meat comes from, or the quality of it.  Today’s focus is on the Fillet-o-Fish, or Fish Fillet, as people usually call it.  One Fish Fillet will be about 380 calories, with 640 mg of sodium.  As of right now we can say McDonald’s does use real fish in their fillet-o-fish.

Hoki fish

But do you know where the fish they use for the fish fillets come from?  According to Wikipedia “The Filet-O-Fish contains a battered fish patty made mostly from Alaskan pollock and/or hoki.”  Recently, McDonald’s purchased a large order of a type of hoki blackfish that isfound off of New Zealand, in pitch black waters half a mile below the surface.  The fish is ugly, and wouldn’t look appetizing, and aside from that may be unsustainable; meaning it’s being over-fished and could become endangered.  So if this means a shortage of hoki, does that mean a shortage of the filet-o-fish, or will they find other, probably more gross, substitutes for their battered fish patties?  Either way, I’ll pass.

The Lake Arrowhead Village Deli & Pizza – Lake Arrowhead, CA

The Deli

Up on the mountain, as you’re cruising up Highway 18 towards Big Bear, if you turn off onto Highway 173, you’ll come across the town of Lake Arrowhead.  And, as you follow this road, it will take you straight into the Lake Arrowhead Village, where stores and restaurants over look the lake.  Amongst one of these restaurants is The Lake Arrowhead Village Deli & Pizza & Fun Center.  That’s a mouthful to say, so the locals just call it “The Deli”. 

Owned by Dave and Lisa Doyle, their friendly, hospitable, upbeat attitudes keep people coming back.  The place is very sports-themed.  The main room, where you order, has sports equipment, posters, jerseys (from professional athletes), etc., all over the walls.  There are also enough TVs to catch your games too.  To the left of the main room, is more seating, accommodating to larger parties.  It actually is a nice room for pizza parties after a game.  Fittingly so, there are pictures and plaques all over this room of different teams.  The majority of pictures are of sports teams of the local high school: Rim of the World High.  Next to this room is a nice little arcade, where you can even win prizes! (They are more so along the 12 and under age range  of prizes, so don’t get too excited).  On the far right side of the restaurant is the patio- the best place to sit and eat in the whole restaurant (when it’s not too windy that is).  Here, you have a great view of the lake and the rest of The Village.

Now let’s get to the reason why you came here in the first place – the food.  The Deli has a good selection of items on their menu.  First of course is the pizza; the pizza you get here is some of the best pizza I have had.  They have pretty much every topping you can think of, including sardines.  They have a couple special pizzas, one being a pizza with everything on it if you’re daring enough to order it, and the other being Dave’s Special, which includes an alfredo sauce instead of tomato, and chicken on top.  What I personally think makes the pizza even more incredible is the ranch dressing.  Their homemade ranch dressing is hands down the best ranch I have ever had. 

View from The Deli

Then there is their sandwiches which are their second major items. You can of course just order a sandwich any way you want  with the items they have available to choose from, or you can order what they have put together on the menu.  These sandwiches are pretty big, and pretty good.  With a selection of meats, cheeses, and veggies, and with the quality and thickness of the sandwich, Subway does not compare.  There are a variety of sides they have for you to choose from to go along with your sandwich: potato salad, macaroni salad, a small side salad, chips, fruit, etc. 

A third major item of theirs, are their salads.  The individual salads here are big enough to feed two or three people.  Usually if one person is ordering a salad for themselves, this is their meal.  They have a selection of salads including a Greek salad, a Ceasar salad, an Antipasto salad, and a regular tossed green salad, to name a few.  Besides all of these options, they also have your traditional pizza place appetizers, including hot wings, fries, etc.  There is also a good selection of beer (draft and bottled), wine, sodas, and other beverages here too. 

So next time you’re heading up the mountain, whether it’s to hit the slopes in the winter, or hit the lake in the summer, make sure to stop by and check this place out.

The Edison – Downtown Los Angeles, CA

The Edison

Out of the chaos of bars and clubs in downtown LA, with an entrance hidden in an alley, at 108 W. 2nd Street, you come across The Edison.  From the outside you half expect to step into some run down club but as soon as you get inside you realize it’s the furthest thing from it. 

There is much interesting history behind The Edison that adds to the design and atmosphere of the bar.  The Edison was LA’s first private power plant and retains many of its architectural andmechanical artifacts.  That means you’ll find artifacts such as power plant generators blended in with the brassy colored decor.  This bar has many rooms, some of which you may not even get to see.

First there is “The Generator Lounge” available for a private party (one of the rooms you’ll be lucky to see), then you’ll find the Music Room that is a little more secluded from the main bar, as it has its own little bar and even has a little balcony you can climb up to and chill.  The Ember Parlour is not so hidden from the main bar, in fact you might feel like you’re part of the line to get a drink, just sitting there.  The Tesla Lounge is for a private dinner party, as it is obvious with the long dining table and huge comfortable couch.  The Game Room, accommodating to parties of up to 20, is equipped with a pool table.

The Main Bar

Now moving on to the not so private rooms that you’d be more interested in… The Main Bar is a huge rectangular shape with plenty of comfortably cushioned bar stoolsall around it, if you can manage to snag one.  The bartender’s attire reflects that of a bar during Hollywood’s Golden Age.  With a nice variety of liqueurs, and a selection of beers andwine, although you can find something you’ll like, it can get a bit pricey.  For a vodka-Redbull, it cost $11. 

Continuing on to the most fun room for all you not spending god knows how much money on a private room…The Lab.  Here is where you’ll find your dance floor and stage.  There is another bar over here too so you don’t have to walk all the way back to the Main Bar; convenient.  Against the walls are couches deep enough for two people to fall asleep on, it’s like sitting on a bed.  So much so that when I sat all the way back, my feet practically touched the endof the couch.  You’ll find other couches, booths, and table scattered throughout the room too. 

The Wash Bin

Even the restroom area is interesting.  Before you even enter either men’s or women’s restroom, in the middle of the two entrances there is a circular wash bin.  The floors are marble tiled and the walls are mirrored, and lined with artwork.  The inside of the restrooms, although a little dim on lighting, are nicely decorated as well.

The most unique thing, besides the generator/power plant decor, that I foundabout this place, was the Absinthe Fairy.  Walking around with a cart is a woman dressed up like a fairy in green and glitter, wings and all.  Within the ironclad cart are interesting looking vials.  Most of them were circular vials, where you could choose a small shot equivalent vial of absinthe, or a larger-than-a-softball vial of absinthe.  There are also these tree branch looking holders with vase-like vials of absinthe in them.  The Absinthe Fairy and her cart was the last thing I expected to see at this bar.

To get in you have to be somewhat dressed up.  For girls that means a dress or skirt outfit (no jean skirts). You may be able to get away with a nice blouse and jeans ordeal too; but you’re going to feel under-dressed and dumb.  Guys, you have to wear dress shoes; no sneakers, converse, all black Vans, etc.  If you’re going to wear jeans guys they better be nice ones up to par with Rockin Republics.  No t-shirts either gentleman – dress shirts, button ups, maybe polos. 

The Generator Lounge

The age range here, because of the history of the place, is mainly from “barely legal to drink” to “Oh, you could be my dad”. You’ll find occasional grandpas there too trying to pull Hugh Hefners.  Most of the time the different groups seem to cluster with their own age range though. 

 So if you’re looking for a more upscale or different kind of  place to go to one night, or want to impress a date, I highly recommend The Edison.  You have to visit it at least once and experience the atmosphere.

The White House – Anaheim, CA

The White House - Anaheim, CA

The White House in Anaheim, Ca, is one of the more elegant looking restaurants in Orange County.  Although named “The White House”, the appearance of the building does not look like The White House itself, but it is a white house.  Every room is named after a certain president though, and decorated in its own unique way.  Everything is pretty much decorated in shades of white and gold, so you definitely get the atmosphere of something more sophisticated.  Saying so, you wouldn’t show up to this place dressed in jeans and a shirt.  It makes for a nice date, a dinner party of any occasion, or even a good place for a prom group to have their dinner at. 

John F. Kennedy room

How would a place such as this be accomdating to two totally different groups: say a prom group and a wedding party?  Well the price range of their food is anywhere from $10-$45 per entree’.  So if you don’t have the money to spend on a $45 entree’, but you still want to take someone out on a nice date, you can still get away with it here.  The White House is an Italian and seafood restaurant, which also caters.  Every entree’ is decorated, or the food is arranged, in a very appeasing way.  Sometimes it looks too pretty to want to eat. 

The staff is well dressed in “waitor” tuxes, and service is prompt.  Every inch of this property calls for photo opportunities, inside and out (as they have a lovely yard you walk up to the entrance).  This hidden little gem in Orange County is celebrating its 100th year anniversary (built in 1909), and in doing so are offering lots of promotions.  So if you have never been here before, this would be the year to do so.  You won’t be disappointed with the atmosphere, the ambiance, and the food.

Bar Louie – Anaheim, CA

Bar Louie Tavern & Grill is probably one of the most accommodating restaurants I have been to.  It is located at the Anaheim Garden Walk (which is just outside of Disneyland) in Orange County next to Club Ultra Heat.  It may be ideal for pre-gaming before heading into the club. 

Bar Louie - Anaheim, Ca

The restaurant is set up, that once you walk inside there is a bar right in front of you, in the middle of the room, set up in an oval shape, like that you would see at Yardhouse, just a little smaller.  There is seating all around the bar.  To the right are a bunch of comfortable, and some more private booths. To the left are tables more like that you would see in a bar area.  Walk outside to the patio, that is almost just as big as the inside of the restaurant, and you’ll notice two sections.  The first section on the right is a whole bunch tables for dining.  To the left of the patio you will notice some couches and low-lying tables.  This is more of an area to take your drinks, chat, have a smoke, relax, whatever.

The pricing of the food was not bad at all.  For the wide selection they had, the average price of an entree’ was $10-$15.    It’s typical food you would find at say Yardhouse, from Bangkok stir fry, to smokehouse ribs, to pizza.  The food was tasty too; the cheap pricing does not reflect quality or quantity of the food at all.  What’s really amazing though, is not only is this place open until 2 a.m., it serves the full menu until 2 a.m.! 

So what if you’re not 21?  No problem, you can still be there, hang out with your friends that are of drinking age, and don’t have to worry about being stuck with nothing to do on a Saturday night because they’re all there.  The only rule is that you cannot be sitting at the bar itself.  But go outside, chill on the patio couches, or sit at a table and dine until 2 in the morning! 

Inside Bar Louie

They have a good, wide selection of wines and beers, and plenty of cocktails/hard alcohol to choose from as well.  Careful on the shots though, some of them can get a little pricey.  The rest is averagely priced. 

My particular visit, was for the celebration of my birthday.  From the beginning it was a pleasant experience.  Not only did I like the setup of the restaurant, but the manager and staff was very accommodating.  Booking a reservation on a Saturday night was not a problem at all, as at most restaurants it would be.  Especially for a party of 40.  Right away they asked if we wanted to be sat outside or inside.  We went for the outside option as they offered us not only the cool and spacious couch section, but part of the outside table/dining section.  On top of that our section was blocked off by ropes, and we had our own personal servers.  Whenever someone outside of our party would try and sit in our section the manager would politely ask them to move.  We were very well taken care of, and I can’t say our glasses sat empty on a table for long. Food did not take long to come out either after it was ordered.  All surprising for a group our size. 

Overall it was a great experience, and I reccomend Bar Louie’s to anyone, especially those who are looking for a place to go at the end of the night, or anyone that has a large group to take into account for.

Beachfront 301 – Huntington Beach, CA

Inside Beachfront 301

So my other favorite bar in Huntington Beach besides Sharkeez – Huntington Beach, CA, is Beachfront 301 Bar & Grill.  Also located on Main St., it’s across from Starbuck’s.  It is probably about four times the size of Sharkeez and equally as fun in its own way.  It’s better to bring larger groups here however, because you won’t be shoulder to shoulder, and you’ll be able to be more comfortably spaced either standing or sitting; and there is a lot of seating available.

Let’s get into happy hour… They have a great selection of food to choose from on their happy hour menu, as well as drinks.  Let’s put it this way: My friend and I split a plate of chicken nachos (pretty generously portioned), a plate of hot-wings, taquitos, and we each got a beer.  Our total: only $16!!! Side-note: Their hot-wings are probably some of the best hot-wings I have ever had; the sauce they use is amazing.  You have to try them at some point if you ever go here.

Happy Hour is as follows:
Monday: 11 a.m. – close
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 3 p.m. – close
Friday: 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday: 1 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. – close

Then there is Sunday Fundays, probably the most popular day of the week for Beachfront.  From open until they reach a certain count (usually running until about 6 p.m.), they have dollar beers.  This is limited to Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite, but dollar beer is dollar beer! And of course they have the cheap happy hour appetizer prices as well. It always makes for a perfect summer day though: Beach, lunch, beer. 

There are TVs all over this bar too, and you can always catch your game on.  There is a lot of outdoor patio seating too if you want to chill outside.  On Thursdays there is a DJ for the night.  Often Beachfront closes earlier than other bars unless it’s a weekend night.  So if you’re planning a late night Beachfront trip, you better think twice.  It’s the type of bar you start at, not end at. Unless you want to call it an early night. 

Overall it is a good place to go hang out at and the staff is pretty cool too.  I have maybe seen a line to get in once or twice, but don’t be mistaken, it is a pretty happenin’ bar, and has its shoulder to shoulder moments as well.  If you’re in Huntington Beach you should definitely check it out.

Sharkeez – Huntington Beach, CA

Sharkeez - Huntington Beach

Sharkeez is one of my top 2 favorite bars in Huntington Beach.  Located on Main Street, this bar is usually poppin’.  You won’t find yourself waiting in line usually, if you get there before 9 or 10 p.m.  After 11 though, it can get pretty packed.  Packed as in shoulder to shoulder.  The small size of the bar is only one of their downfalls. 

If you get there early enough to get food, do it; they have pretty good stuff.  the buffalo wings have an awesome sauce that they’re cooked with, and the chicken quesadillas are pretty bomb too.  Usually throughout the night fresh chips and salsa are set up at a little “chips n’ salsa” bar for you to grab.  Or, ask one of the security guys that are always walking around, and they’re usually nice enough to grab you some.

Happy hour specials are pretty legit.  Monday nights are often my favorite nights to go, especially during football season.  They will have two-for-ones on beers and well drinks until the end of a football game, and half off most

Jello Shots in Syringes

appetizers.  Happy hour or not they still have drinks that make you come there for the drinks (and atmostphere) alone.  For example, they have $3 jello shots.  these are no ordinary shots though, they come in syringes; big syringes.  it makes for fun playing with your alcohol.  someone always comes up to you when you’re shooting jello into your mouth and ask you “what do you got there?!”  Another cool drink special to Sharkeez is “The Shark Bowl”.  It’s a mixed drink served in a fish bowl, and it’s usually required that you have 4 to 5 people to be able to even purchase it, because of the amount of alochol they are giving you at once. 

Shark Bowl (in a bucket)

They have a selection of beers too and the bartenders know how to mix/make drinks and shots very well.  There’s usually a balance between female and male bartenders working, so you don’t have to worry about being a guy and all the guy bartenders are serving all the chicks and ignoring you, or vice versa with female bartenders and chicks trying to get drinks.  Also there’s usually 3-4 bartenders working in a night, so it doesn’t take that long to get a drink. 

Often one of the Sharkeez employees will just DJ, a he’ll play a good mix, but on certain nights you’ll catch a guest DJ live on a stage they set up.  Dancing is never limited to the “dancefloor” as people usually just dance all over the bar.  There’s comfortable booths all along the walls and toward the back of you want to sit and relax or have some privacy.  Or, there are taller tables the height of the bar where you can sit on barstools or stand and rest your drinks on.  Often you will find flip cup tournaments going on as these tables are prefectly shaped and aligned for doign so. 

The decor is pretty cool, and “beachy” as you would expect a bar by the beach to be.  There are TV’s everywhere, and you’re bound to catch whatever sports game you want to watch that day.  You can usually catch several games at once, as well as videos on surfing or other types of boarding.

Sharkeez in HB

Do come prepared with a second form of ID as well.  On top of your regular driver’s license or state ID card, they usually ask if you have another form of ID or just any bank card, credit card, etc.  It does not necessarily need to have your picture on it, just at least your name on it.  There is never a cover charge, just expect there to be a line after 11 p.m.; sometimes before 11 depending on the day and if there is an event or not.  P.S. They are usually very good about catching fake ID’s, and confiscating them if they think they are fake.

Overall it is a very fun bar, and I find the crowd to be pretty chill.

RT’s Longboard Grill – Pacific Beach, CA

Longboards in Pacific Beach, San Diego, is one of the more fun bars I have been to recently.  The food, the happy hour prices, and the music, all make for a great time. 

RT's Longboard Grill

First off, Longboard’s is a little further down from your  group of bars that are all clustered together on Garnet Ave closer to the beach.  The distance makes for a shorter line to get in, if a line at all, but not too far that the place is dead.  Certain times there is a cover charge of $5, as there was when I went on a Friday night, however your wrist is stamped and you can walk in and out as you please, whereas most bars do not allow re-entry.  This is conveinent when you want to step outside to take a smoke break or get some fresh air, because either the patio is packed, or it is closed as they do so close the patio after midnight. 

They serve full menu until 10 p.m., but until 12 they have a late night menu that you can order simpler items from.  My friends and I decided to go for the nachos.  The security guy had suggested it for a group our size, stating that it was a large plate.  Sure enough he was right.  The nachos were delicious, and despite the large size, we devoured the plate.  The staff was cool, not the usual hot-headed bouncers or security, and the waitress was friendly, not an “I’m-busy, I-don’t-want-to-serve-you, I-hate-my-job” type.  The bartenders knew how to mix drinks well, and the prices are average. 

Now one of the most important aspects of a bar being a good time: the music.  This particular night “80′s Fridays”, they had a live band; and this band was good.  They had a really good set, and had the dance floor poppin’.  From Bon Jovi, Def Leopard, to even Kings of Leon, they had it all, including the Top 10 Songs That Make the Bar Go Crazy!!. 

Longboard’s weekly set up is as follows:
Monday: House Party Monday’s
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday’s / Open Mic
Wednesday: Don’t Worry Be Happy Wednesday’s – happy hour from Open to Close. DJ Famous Dave.  Beer pong, & other games.
Thursday: Taco Bar Thursday’s, including live rock tunes music
Friday: 80′s Friday
Saturday: Their new breakfast, and at night-live rock bands.
Sunday: Sunday Funday – first featuring their new breakfast, then Reggae at night.  This week- the Devastators.