Michael Cardenas

The Art of the Cocktail

March 23, 2010
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It was a warm Sunday night on the beach. The four competing restaurants gathered once again – this time at Boa in Santa Monica, for yet another installment of…Raising the Bar. The competition got off to a late start so I ordered a very hearty cheeseburger with camembert cheese and Charlotte, the bartender at Boa, [...]

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Not so Lazy, Lazy Ox

February 18, 2010
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After a long week, my girlfriend BB and I made our way to the much talked about new “neighborhood canteen,” in downtown LA. On our way over, I got a text from a recent, but very persistent, gentleman suitor, which I shared with BB. I had made up my mind that, even if my love [...]

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Talk To Strangers – Boa Steakhouse

August 30, 2009
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On Ocean Ave, by Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, the bar at Boa Steakhouse is often packed on weekends with tourists and diners waiting for their tables. During the week, the bar is much less crowded, usually emptying out before 11pm. Sunday nights at Boa’s bar seem to be the most interesting, often filled [...]

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