Now Boarding: An Aviation-Themed Bar in L.A.
An exciting new cocktail bar has landed in Los Angeles, not too far from TPG Travel Editor Melanie Wynne. For all you fans of aviation history (and booze), here is her review.
Several miles north of LAX, Los Angeles now has a fun version of a first-class airport lounge that costs nothing to enter. Now Boarding, a new cocktail bar on the eastern edge of West Hollywood, is a dimly-lit getaway with a kitschy, stylish blend of Pan Am's Mid-Century Modern decor and Catch Me If You Can cool.
Like many bars in L.A., the facade of Now Boarding is windowless and nondescript—from its unlovely stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard, you could almost mistake it for a warehouse. A pair of friendly airline-style logos are the only clue that it's worthy of checking in/out, but your curiosity will be well rewarded.
The interior offers space for little more than a sardine-packed 75 people, and a far more comfortable 50. Leather-upholstered booths are modeled after airplane seats—back when airline seats were almost as wide as bar booths—and feature headrest flaps with the Now Boarding logo. The crown and pendant lights that hang from the ceilings, as well as the geometric wood-carved grids along the walls, evoke airport terminals from the 1960s; think Saarinen's TWA glory at Idlewild (JFK) or New Orleans' elegant, barrel-ceilinged Moisant.
You'll find Now-Boarding-branded packages of peanuts rather than a menu of bar snacks, and in addition to an exit door labeled Departure Gate, you'll see a few black-and-white photos depicting glamorous stewardesses from an era that far preceded the term "flight attendant." The room's focal point, though, is a world-map mural that not only highlights most of the places on Earth you might want to visit, but also popular flight paths to reach them.
The complex cocktails here veer towards sweet and spicy, with cheeky names like Wheels Up (which has a healthy pour of peach whiskey and a dash of aperol) and my personal favorite, the D.B. Cooper—a velvet-hammer concoction of Altos Blanco tequila, watermelon and jalapeño that could even ease a mid-air jump from a Boeing 727.
When next you're in L.A., I'd recommend giving this cozy bar a whirl—it's the next best thing to a premium-class upgrade.
Now Boarding is open every night from 6 p.m.-2 a.m., with happy hour all night Monday as well as 6-8 p.m. from Tuesday-Friday, and a DJ spinning on Sundays. Due to its small size, table reservations are recommended. (323.848.8447)
Is there an aviation/travel-themed bar in your town or city? Let us know about it in the comments below!
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- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month