We joked about snow falling on our upcoming Picnic in Bedford Falls, but we didn't think the weather gods would unleash the white stuff on us as we journeyed to Casablanca.
Despite the epic weather in random parts of The Valley, a small group of us ventured to Van Nuys to view the remains of the airport hangar used in the final scene of Casablanca. Unfortunately for us, the hangar was under wraps...literally! Now officially part of the Airtel Plaza Hotel, the iconic movie set is being restored and renovated for use as a special events location. We plan to make this trek again, and next time we promise to call ahead to make sure we can tour it properly.
Even though, as our title suggests, we were foiled by the façade, all was not lost. We met in the Clipper Club Lounge, modeled after the world-famous Long Bar at Raffles Singapore (home to the Singapore Sling), which is reminiscent of Malayan plantations of the 1920's with oversized chairs, soft lighting, and a comfortable atmosphere. What made it better was that the Clipper Club Lounge has a DAILY Happy Hour from 4pm to 7pm, with $4 beers, wines, well-drinks, and $6 small plates. The food is far from exotic, but it was good. Our group shared an order of sliders, chicken fingers, and avocado egg rolls. Buyer be warned, the avocado egg rolls are mostly chicken with a hint of avocado. Still, all was devoured and nothing was bad.
While it may take a while for us to truly enjoy Cocktails in Casablanca, The Valley Film Festival will definitely use the Clipper Club Lounge as a base for networking mixers. What's not to love about a weekend Happy Hour and free street parking? As always, we hope you'll join us.
No comments:
Post a Comment