Galco’s, one of the stops on the ride
Photo by Aaron Farley 

Nothing says ‘Happy Holidays’ like the gift of drunk. That’s why Hot Knives, our resident recipe columnists, is hosting the second annual L.A. Grand Cru beer-bike ride on Saturday, Dec. 20. This year’s ride will be a holiday-gift shopping spree on spokes!

The 22-mile ride will start at Union Station and hit four of the city’s best beer stores — from a secret 7-11 to high-end liquor emporiums. Riders are encouraged to buy a bottle of beer at each stop. Most of the stores have graciously offered a discount to our shoppers. The ride will culminate in a private keg party at the Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. And we’ll feast on vegan snacks courtesy of Pure Luck vegan restaurant and Hot Knives! A $10 required donation per rider will go to the kegs of locally brewed holiday ale.

For more information, click here.

The Conga Room burst onto the Los Angeles social scene in 1998 and gained instant acclaim for its vibrant atmosphere and live performances. Funded by real estate mogul Brad Gluckstein, The Conga Room soon became almost as famous as its roster of investors, including Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Smits, Paul Rodriguez and Sheila E. Before the original location closed in 2006, The Conga Room had gained a reputation for being “The House of Blues for Latin music.” 

Yesterday, The Conga Room opened its doors once again at Downtown L.A.’s most sought-after location, L.A. LIVE. This new location maintains all of the sultry Latin flair that first drew guests to the original L.A. landmark, but is significantly larger and possesses an added sophistication evident in the design and architecture. At 15,000 square feet, and an ability to accommodate 1,100 patrons, the new Conga Room is three times the size of its predecessor.

Designed by noted architect, Hagy Belzberg, The Conga Room is a contemporary space that reflects the vibrant energies of Barcelona and Mexico City. In collaboration with several artists, The Conga Room is designed to pay homage to contemporary Latino culture with special additions including a digital mural and sculptures created by artist and film director Sergio Arau, and the sensual Papaya Bar designed by internationally acclaimed Cuban-American artist Jorge Pardo. The Conga Room also boasts a breathtaking VIP area with panoramic views of the Staples Center and Nokia Plaza, as well as full broadcast and programming capabilities.

The Conga Room’s prized restaurant, Boca, features Pan-Latin cuisine developed and executed by world-renowned Executive Chef Alex Garcia. 

For more information, visit www.congaroom.com

After 20 years, baseball player Billy Ripken talks about his notorious Fleer baseball card and curse-inscribed bat. “I can’t believe the people at Fleer couldn’t catch that,” he told CNBC’s Darren Rovell. “I mean, they certainly have to have enough proofreaders to see it. I think not only did they see it, they enhanced it. That writing on that bat is way too clear. I don’t write that neat. I think they knew that once they saw it, they could use the card to create an awful lot of stir.” Rovell reports, “What ensued was absolute chaos and—as the ‘error’ card’s price rose to nearly $500—there were some amazing stories. A kid, who happened to be a fan of Ripken, had purchased a huge lot of No. 616’s from a dealer for $50. When the curse was found, the new worth of the cards was closer to $20,000. There was the story of one kid who sued another kid for convincing him to sell his Billy Ripken for $1, without knowing the curse was on the bat. And the tale of the Geraldo show entitled ‘Men who write bad things in public places,’ when an audience member claimed it was he who wrote the obscenity on Ripken’s bat.” Today the card sells for just $5. To read the entire story, visit CNBC.com.