The recession just doesn't seem to have reached certain parts of the city. Along the billboard-bombed and bar-crawl crush of the Sunset Strip on any given night are few, if any, signs of an economic downturn. It's the magic of Hollywood in action.
But now that the recession has moved beyond media-driven hysteria to a sobering new reality for many Angelenos, it has changed how urbanites go out and unwind.
The changes have hit both high and low: Hipster enclaves and big-box night life destinations have been offering deals and specials for a while now, hoping to bring in customers. But recently, even posh party spots frequented by celebs and the glitterati have been offering price-slashing initiatives to keep the house full when extravagance feels like, well, an extravagance.
All of which puts the new 6ix on Sunset events at the posh, Philippe Starck-designed XIV Restaurant by Michael Mina in the pole position to become the city's hottest happy hour. Featuring cocktails, appetizers and even valet parking for a reasonable $6, it's a shrewd move that turns the posh establishment into a hot after-work destination that won't stress your budget.
"Given the location and this patio, it only made sense to open things up a bit," said SBE promoter Grace Fernandez, who manages the event. "As the weather warms up, it will only get better."
"We've been talking about doing something like this for a while," echoes Ryan Cole, the general manager of XIV. "There's such a drastic difference between the terrace area and the restaurant. The terrace allows us to do a lot of different, fun things. It's possible for us to be a little more approachable for those in the area."
On the first night of 6ix on Sunset, the terrace area at the front of the restaurant was already buzzing with energy just minutes after opening.
While a small pocket of guys discreetly took in the closing moments of an NBA playoff game, the bar area was already packed with patrons partaking of the party's specialty drinks, such as the M, a vodka-based mango cocktail, and pitchers of vodka-ginger limeade.
Among the well-heeled crowd of loosened-up business types and flirty swinging singles were genuine celebrities, including a low-key former NFL star/current ESPN analyst, Keyshawn Johnson, who was holding court at a table situated within view of the big-screen TV pumping out the playoffs.
Wait a minute -- there's a television at XIV?
