Julia Child Cocktail Party | Pasadena Restaurant Week

Pasadena Chamber Kicks Off SIP-tember Celebration of the Cocktail with a Citywide Cocktail Party to Celebrate Julia Child’s 100^th Birthday on August 15th

America’s first culinary celebrity to be toasted at restaurants throughout Pasadena as a kick-off for SIP-tember cocktail bracket challenge.

Pasadena’s restaurants and lounges invite everyone to come to Pasadena and enjoy a citywide cocktail party on August 15, 2012, to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the birth of America’s first culinary celebrity, Pasadena’s own Julia Child.

Pasadena’s Citywide Julia Child Cocktail Party will take place in restaurants all over Pasadena, culminating in a simultaneous toast at 7:00pm. The event is sponsored and organized by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce with support from the City of Pasadena and Merrill Lynch/Bank of America.

On August 15^th, many of Pasadena’s restaurants will host cocktail parties to commemorate Julia Child’s contribution to fine cuisine and culinary arts, as well as her birth and childhood in Pasadena. Festivities will take place in restaurants throughout the city, with some even offering up specially created cocktails and dishes in tribute to Julia Child. The full list of participants can be found at www.pasadenarestaurantweek.com.

We are inviting everyone: foodies, cocktail aficionados — anyone who appreciates fine food and a good cocktail — to come to Pasadena on August 15th as we raise our glasses and toast the birth of America’s first cooking celebrity, Pasadena’s own Julia Child. In addition to bringing fine French cuisine to Americans and cooking instruction to television, we know Julia Child appreciated a good glass of wine and the occasional cocktail. We encourage everyone to join us in Pasadena as we raise a glass to toast the 100th anniversary of her birth.

Restaurants and lounges throughout Pasadena will be hosting grand cocktail party commemorating the birth of Julia Child on Wednesday, August 15, 2012. There will be a simultaneous toast to Julia Child at each participating restaurant at 7:00 pm.

Some of the venues will be hosting Julia Child costume contests. Everyone is encouraged to dress for a 1950s, 1960s or 1970s era cocktail party, or dress like Julia Child, and to celebrate responsibly.

The Julia Child Citywide Cocktail Party will kick-off the SIP-tember cocktail bracket challenge, a six week long celebration of the cocktail in Pasadena. From August 15^th through September 27^th, local restaurants will serve cocktails that will be paired against each other in a competition. 64 cocktails, ranging from drinks specially concocted for the competition to margaritas and sangria, will begin the competition that will last six weeks and culminate in a live taste-off of the four drinks that win their bracket.

SIP-tember and citywide Julia Child cocktail party participants include

For an interactive map of the SIP-tember and Julia Child Cocktail Party venues, click here. (Map courtesy of BlockBeacon.)

Other participants in the Julia Child Citywide Cocktail Party include:

and anywhere in Pasadena that serves wine, beer or cocktails.

Special events are being held at several venues.

Toro Sushi Bar Lounge will host a Julia Child Costume Contest, with the winner receiving a gift certificate.
300 Pasadena is celebrating with a 1950s-themed party and a Julia Child Costume Contest.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House will host a SIP-tember kick-off party in the lounge with happy hour specials on food and drink, including their four entry cocktails.
Vertical Wine Bistro is featuring a special Julia Child menu throughout August, featuring some of her signature dishes.
POP Champagne and Dessert Bar is preparing a special Julia Child menu for the week leading up to the Julia Child Cocktail Party.
a/k/a an American Bistro chef James Lambrinos is preparing a special fixed price menu with Julia Child favorites.
In addition to the SIP-tember cocktail entry from the Tap Room, the Langham Huntington Hotel is featuring a special Julia Child menu in the Dining Room

We wanted to find a way to celebrate Julia Child’s 100^th, and the Citywide Cocktail Party on August 15^th was a natural way to kick off the SIP-tember Celebration of the Cocktail and our Cocktail Bracket Challenge. During SIP-tember, 64 cocktails from various places throughout Pasadena will be paired in an online bracket competition with patrons voting for their favorite from among the paired drinks until we have four finalists. The four finalists will face off in a live tasting at Paseo Colorado on September 27^th.

Cocktail pairings for the SIP-tember Bracket Challenge were announced on August 2nd.

Voting will be open on August 15^th at www.pasadenarestaurantweek.com.

The Pasadena celebration of Julia Child’s birthday is being organized by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce with our participating restaurants. SIP-tember is collaboration between the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and our local member restaurants with support from Merrill Lynch/Bank of America and the City of Pasadena. The Citywide Julia Child Cocktail Party is part of JC100, a nationwide tribute to Julia Child on the 100^th anniversary of her birth.

Check out some of our Cheeseburger Week media coverage:

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.

Cheeseburger Challenge results:

You voted for your favorites in many categories. Here are the top three finishers in each category (two if there weren’t three entries). Number of votes received is (in parentheses):

Favorite Lunch Counter Burger:

Pie ‘n Burger (278)
The Counter (172)
Burger Continental (74)

Favorite Traditional Burger:

Pie ‘n Burger (183)
The Counter (138)
The Dog Haus (133)

Favorite Sliders:

King’s Row Gastropub (184)
Vertical Wine Bistro (176)
POP Champagne Bar (164)

Favorite Gourmet Burger:

Kings Row Gastropub (190)
a/k/a An American Bistro (126)
Vertical Wine Bistro (119)

Favorite Alternative Burger:

Vertical Wine Bistro (96)
M Local Mediterranean Cuisine (90)
a/k/a An American Bistro (86)

Favorite Turkey Burger:

The Counter (159)
Pie ‘n Burger (115)
Green Street Restaurant (104)

Favorite Pita/Armenian Burger:

Burger Continental (288)
Lebanese Kitchen (139)

Favorite Sit-down Restaurant Burger:

Beckham Grill and Crown Pub (126)
Vertical Wine Bistro (122)
Red White and Bluezz (121)

Favorite Ethnic Burger:

Burger Continental (177)
El Portal (90)
CREPE Studio (tie) (70)
Yahaira’s (tie) (70)

Favorite Kobe Burger:

Vertical Wine Bistro (192)
POP Champagne Bar (166)
Toro Sushi (132)

Favorite Bar Burger:

Beckham Grill and Crown Pub (168)
King’s Row Gastropub (146)
Magnolia Lounge (132)