Beach Bashes and Promotions

Summer is on its way and we are gearing up to celebrate it in sunny style!  The Sweet Deal HQ is based in Redondo Beach, California, merely a mile from the beautiful Pacific Ocean.  All of us here at the office are die-hard beach fanatics and you may even see us sunning on a beer patio near the Strand after a long week’s work!  Our clients also love to take advantage of the crowds of happy sun-tanners near the beach so we find ourselves mixing fun with work often during the summer months, be it at a special event, street team or beach party.

One of our most memorable summer events took place near Venice Beach when our beautiful bunnies sprawled out across the beach cities to spread the Coors Light love!  The promotion was part of the Cold Front Glacier party marketing campaign, where a giant iceberg was floated in all the way from Long Beach to Santa Monica.  Along with the iceberg came the first cases of Coors Light Cold Activated Can, which lets drinkers know when their brewski has reached the ultimate refreshing cooling temperature. Our beach bunnies dressed up in their Coors Light snow suits and walked throughout the city passing out flyers and getting people to join the party happening on the pier.  With free Coors, live music and clear ocean views, it was a rockin’ day to remember for the thousands of Coors fans showing up to celebrate in summer style. 

We’ve also been a part of some great private beach parties as part of our Event Planning division!  Last summer we produced a surprise birthday bash for a very special lady on Santa Monica beach.  It was a day full of drinks, games, volleyball, good friends and a whole lot of fun.  We pulled together multiple aspects of the event from start to finish: tent rental, snacks, drinks, and music.  And of course, a beach party can’t be complete without the ultimate summer drink: SANGRIA!  Our event hostesses cut up fresh fruit and mixed it into the sangria with a touch of peach brandy.  No wonder this party went past its original ending time; we were all having too much fun in the sun!

Try making your own peach sangria for your upcoming beach bash. We recommend this recipe to really get the party started!

COCKTAIL RECIPE from www.liquor.com

Sparkling Açaí Sangria

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 12.5 oz (half a bottle) VeeV Açaí S­­pirit
• 4 oz Elderflower liqueur
• 4 oz Orange juice
• Sparkling wine

Garnish: Blueberries, sliced strawberries and orange wedges

Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:

Fill a pitcher three-quarters of the way with ice. Add all the ingredients except the sparkling wine and stir well. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with blueberries, sliced strawberries and orange wedges.

Speakeasy Fever!

Everywhere I look lately is the word speakeasy.  It harkens back to the days when alcohol was barred and gangsters prowled.  It recalls the plumes of smoke wafting up from hidden underground bars and the hushed sounds of casino gambling.  Be it an event that Sweet Deal is part of, an old-style bar opening up on either coast, or an inspired cocktail from the traditional drinks, speakeasy is all the rage today.  From my own experience I must say that there is something grand, luxurious and just plain fun about hamming it up flapper-style while sipping on a tasty Negroni!!

As a Sweet Dealer, I’ve taken part in my own speakeasy style event in San Francisco last September.  Of course, nowadays alcohol is allowed to flow freely and it surely did at this “Ragtag Rabble Soiree” seeing as the event was part of San Francisco’s Cocktail Week.  We Sweet Dealers donned our best vintage-inspired garb; jewels, feathers, and boas included.  Top mixologists whipped up classic cocktails with modern day twists, burlesque dancers and musicians performed their trifles and Sweet Deal’s casino dealers served up a gaming frenzy.   I dealt craps to a crowd that was having the time of their lives, throwing the die with such enthusiasm and force that I had to chase after the runaway dice under the tables all night!  You can see some of the photos from that event here.

Just as our casino event was tucked into the back hidden room of the quaint Crescent Hotel in San Francisco, obscure spots with secret entrances are popping up all over the nation from Santa Monica (http://www.yelp.com/biz/basement-tavern-santa-monica) to Brooklyn (http://raineslawroom.com).  The hidden gems always have a secretive feel, yet never exclusive.  They open up their arms to anyone who may encounter their veiled doorways and feel the urge to sway with the string trio playing a soft lilting tune inside.  Of course, a speakeasy wouldn’t be a speakeasy without the ultimate forbidden pleasure: fiercely delicious cocktails.  Around the modern day speakeasy has evolved a rich and unique world of mixology.  Bartenders take their inspiration from the old drink standards like the Manhattan & Old Fashioned, but then add a unique twist that makes it oh so nouveau…and might I add, oh so scrumptious!

The speakeasy style of mixology has started a renaissance of the cocktail across the country.  No longer is the art of a cocktail strictly found in exclusive high-end bars.  Now, everywhere you look you will see unique cocktails on the menus of local restaurants and hotel bars.  The speakeasy is no longer a quiet movement, peeking out with secrets from underground; it is a mainstay in the American tradition of  enjoying the simple pleasures in life: good drinks, good eats, good company, and good times!

A Home Run for Spring Training

If you love baseball as much as we do then you know what the months of February and March means: SPRING TRAINING!!!  Yes, we’ve all waited 6 long months for America’s game to return to our lives and the wait is finally over!!  Pitchers and catchers have already reported and soon position players will be on the field as well.  Get ready sports fans…Spring Training is in full swing and Sweet Deal has all the info you need to make this Spring Training a hit!! 

This entry will focus on the Cactus League Spring Training in Phoenix, AZ, but for those of you on the East Coast you can check out www.floridagrapefruitleague.com for more info!

 Games and Tickets

Games are being played from February 25-March 30th, 2011 and individual game tickets are already on sale!

Visit http://www.cactusleague.com/images/2011_schedule.pdf  for a full schedule of games and for information on purchasing tickets.

Nightlife/Restaurants

There are a ton of great restaurants and bars in the downtown Scottsdale and Phoenix areas.  Here are some of our favorites:

www.oreganos.com

www.donandcharlies.com

www.monkeypantsbar.com

www.oldtowntavernaz.com

 What to wear

Of course the best way to show your team spirit is by wearing your team’s colors and/or logo!  Why not head on over to shop.mlb.com and stock up on all your team gear so you are ready for baseball season in style!!

Watching the Game from Home

Can’t make it all the way to Phoenix this year?  Well there’s no reason you can’t enjoy some fun in the sun from the comfort of your own home!  Invite some friends over for a “Spring Training Stay-cation” and log on to mlb.com to watch your favorite team battle it out with your least favorite team!  And while you’re at it why not spice up your stay-cation with a baseball themed cocktail?!  (After all, what’s a getaway without a cold drink in your hand?)  This is one of our favorites!

Louisville Slugger ~ From www.Idrink.com 

Ingredients to use:	2.0 tsp  Blackberry Liqueur1.0 oz  Bourbon 2.0 tsp  Lemon juice 1.0 oz  DryVermouth
Directions:	Fill a shaker half full with ice cubes. Pour all ingredients into shaker and shake well. Strain drink into a Cocktail glass, garnish with a Lemon Peel Twist, and serve.

And of course you can always visit www.cactusleague.com for any and all other information you may need to make sure your Spring Training experience is a home run!!