Other cities must be green with envy when they discover how eco-friendly a night out on the town in San Francisco can be. These local hot spots in San Francisco go for au naturale, at least where the bar drinks and menu items are concerned. With local bars and restaurants serving fresh ingredients, natural foods and drinks made with the eco-friendly VeeV spirit, it's no wonder.

Sake Bar and Bar Drinks at Ozumo
Head out to a new San Francisco venue, Ozumo. Get comfortable at the Sake bar and try their local mixology which includes top-shelf Veev-based mixed drinks, alongside a tasty menu of select sake flavors.

Ozumo is located at 161 Steuart Street in San Francisco, California. Don't disappoint your friends by missing out on this local bar, call ahead and make reservations, at (415) 882-1333.

Local Mixology at the Cantina
Warm up to the cozy atmosphere at Cantina. Sip on bar drinks heat up the local bar with your best Salsa and Disco moves. Liven up your taste buds by moving to the flavors of the local mixology, with a Veev-based drink. Order up an exotic "Milk of Millenia. Savor the flavors of ginseng, agave, lemon, mint, ginger and the Acai fruit in Veev, courtesy of this local bar's special concoction.

Cantina is located at 580 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California, (415) 398-0195.

The Forbidden Island
No fruit is forbidden at The Forbidden Island located in the Bay Station Shopping district. Their contributions to local mixology include contemporary cocktails including the Mystery Bowl, Neptune's Garden, and bar drinks made with the Vitamin A-rich and prickly pear-infused spirit, Veev. Bar drinks at this night venue are made with fresh juices and natural ingredients. This local bar serves up Veev, a premium spirit made with the super healthy Acai fruit.

The Forbidden Island is located at 1304 Lincoln Avenue in Alameda, California, (510) 749-0332.

Drink in the local mixology of these San Francisco nightlife venues, while enjoy the healthy benefits of cocktails made with Veev.

Written by Pam Gaulin

Remember those long afternoons after school when you would spend hours playing Pacman and pinball? Local arcades used to be the scene for junior high kids who didn't want to go home, but New York has stepped up the game with arcade bars. Whoever thought of combining liquor and beer with Moon Patrol and Frogger?

Rather than watching Monday night football or shooting pool with your friends, get in touch with your inner geek. You'll be surprised by how much arcade games have progressed in the last ten years, and this is a great way to enjoy local mixology in a laidback setting.

Take Barcade on Union Avenue, for example. This arcade bar offers Happy Hour from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. every day of the week, and more than 30 arcade games are yours for the choosing. From Donkey Kong to Centipede, the contents of your piggy bank will spend itself here.

Also popular is Ace Bar, where pinball and shuffleboard are the cornerstones of happy hour. Kick back with a VeeV cocktail or your favorite beer and pretend you're back in high school with your buddies.

Of course, if arcade games aren't your style, you can always go with the traditional shuffleboard and pool bars that combine urban grit with refreshing hospitality. Bleeker Street bar and The Diamond on Franklin Street are just a couple of your best options.

Arcade bars are taking New York by storm, and the best news is that there isn't a waiting list. Forget the trendy nightlife hotspots that require a celebrity friend to get in; instead, get back to your inner geek and let yourself be a nerd for the night.

And don't forget your computer. A laptop under your arm will only solidify your membership to this geeky club.

Sources:
www.Barcadebrooklyn.com
www.acebar.com

Written by Steve Thompson

The Windy City has a new friend in town named VeeV. If you have not yet had the honor to get acquainted with VeeV, you are missing out on one of the hottest bar drinks in the Chicagoland area.

The two founders are native Chicagoans and their açaí spirit has hit a hot spot with consumers. Açaí, a berry exclusively grown in the Amazon rainforest, is filled with antioxidants. It is very healthy, and the eco-friendly supporters love the fact that the VeeV company donates $1 back to the rainforest for every bottle of liquor they sell.

VeeV is found at many of Chicago's local bars, clubs and restaurants. Among the trendy Chicago establishments where VeeV is served:

Whiskey Blue
172 W. Adams St.
(312) 782-4933
www.gerberbars.com

Blackbird
619 W. Randolph St.
(312) 715-0708
www.blackbirdrestaurant.com

Lumen
839 W. Fulton Market
(319) 733-2222
www.lumen-chicago.com

VeeV has also become central to the Chicago local mixology, a prime resource for the talented bartenders using their creativity in their limited free time to devise wonderful new concoctions. Only briefly mention the word "mixology" to a Chicago bartender who is familiar with VeeV, and you will be sure to be treated to some type of VeeV pleasure.

If you have not done so, be sure to introduce yourself to VeeV. The Windy City as well as you will be glad you did!

Written by Michelle M. Guilbeau-Sheppard

Home to the worlds' most beautiful people and dozens of chic and trendy bars, Los Angeles is a city where local bars and mixologists rarely hold back on making the latest cocktail with a unique twist. The entertainment capital of the world serves up something for all tastes; from the local jazz bar on the coast to the sports bar in downtown L.A., you're sure to find a place to settle in for good times, great food and a one-of-a-kind cocktail menu.

Whether you're spending the night in tinseltown or exploring the upscale lounges in Santa Monica, you'll find dozens of local bars serving up the latest trends with signature drinks - the bar drinks that help carve a venue's spot in the best of L.A.'s nightlife scene.

Trends at Local Bars in L.A.

Bars in L.A. are some of the first in the country to pick up the latest trends in mixed drinks and cocktails, and the local mixology scene has grown into its own culture with a strong following of creative mixologists, talented bartenders and seasoned cocktail gurus.

Some of the latest, noteworthy trends at L.A. bars include:

VeeV cocktails: The antioxidant-rich liquor is becoming a popular choice for making a super-smooth cocktail. Made with açaí berries, VeeV is a refreshing addition to the cocktail menu at several bars and lounges around L.A.

Kiddie Martinis: Feel like a kid again, albeit with grownups' privileges, by ordering up a Cereal Milk Martini made with Lucky Charms, Frangelico and half-and-half for a refreshing twist on your usual cocktail. The Mojito Jell-O shot is another popular trend at several local bars in L.A.

The Vintage Cocktail: The classic, 1800s-style cocktails are taking on a modern twist with new garnishes and creative presentations. Add house-made bitters to the mix for the ultimate vintage experience.

The Herbal Mix: Muddling herbs such as fresh sage, cloves, basil and even Serrano chilies into bar drinks is becoming a popular trend across L.A., and mixologists are using herbs both in the drink and as a garnish for some of the latest cocktails.

Champagne Cocktails: Skip the usual glass of champagne for that next celebration in favor of a champagne-based cocktail. A mixture of sugar, lemon, ice and fruit topped with champagne offers a refreshing twist to the norm.

Written by Sabah Karimi

In New York City, roving reporters for Shecky's New York City Nightlife were given an assignment that any of us would envy. What was the assignment for the Shecky's reporters on this day? "Drinking Our Way Through the NYC Wine & Food Festival."

Little did the Shecky's reporters know that they would discover VeeV.

What is VeeV? It's an alternative to vodka in mixed drinks. It comes from açaíberries grown in the Brazilian rainforest.

Is that a typo for the second "V" to be a capitalized in "VeeV"? No. In fact, the way that VeeV is catching on in New York City, we might end up with "NeW YorK CitY"!

Well, it was a tough job, but someone had to do it. The reporters from Shecky's said they sampled "more than 100 of the finest liquids in a three-hour span." But in the process of drinking their way through NYC, they made a VeeV discovery that no doubt helped them avoid the effects of a hangover.

The Shecky's team from New York City said, "What's new and trendy? How about VeeV, the world's first spirit made fromaçaí, which has more antioxidants than pomegranate - it tastes like grape juice, which isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Not a bad thing at all. Not a bad thing indeed. Here's a VeeV cocktail recipe that is among those that are becoming popular in New York City:

VeeV Eco Lemonade

Ingredients:

four lemon wedges

four sprigs of mint

two ounces of VeeV açaí spirit

club soda

Instructions: Muddle four lemon wedges and four mint sprigs in a mixing glass. Add VeeV and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake. Pour into a glass, top with club soda and garnish with fresh mint.

Written by Michael Thompson