From the wine-loving Spaniards who first settled Los Angeles to the cocktail quaffers of the jet age, Los Angeles tastes have shifted when it comes to enjoying alcoholic beverages. The city has been a center of winemaking and brewing, a region where intoxicating potions were celebrated by movie stars and hunted down by prohibitionists, and a place where finely balanced drinks and abysmal concoctions were crafted by bartenders and celebrities. This talk begins with pious monks, continues with law-dodging partiers who were anything but reverent, and ends in the new world of LA cocktails.

Richard Foss started writing professionally in 1987, and his job as a restaurant critic eventually led to two books, numerous scholarly and popular articles, consulting jobs at museums, international lecture tours, and several TV appearances. His science fiction and fantasy stories have been nominated for awards, and he continues to freelance for various publications. Richard is the co-founder and Executive Director of Collage: A Place for Art & Culture, a nonprofit arts and performance space in San Pedro that donates musical instruments to students, hosts free music lessons, and does other charitable work related to the arts.