All the Benjamins
JARED MEISLER • The Benjamin, Bar Lubitsch, more
WORK • Thursday Routine
JARED MEISLER • co-owner • The Benjamin, Bar Benjamin, Bar Lubitsch, The Roger Room, The Brig, The Little Friend & Gin Rummy
Neighborhood you live in: West LA
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Everyone is sleeping. We’re all night owls, through and through. I’m up, but only because I like hanging with my daughter and taking her to school in the morning. My Aura ring is mad at me, again. I’m drinking a giant cup of coffee. I make my first cup at home every day. I like to try beans from small roasters, these days Canyon, Be Bright, and Mad Lab are in heavy rotation. Always listening to music in the morning. Tony Velour and Pawpaw Rod have new music out that I really dig. My Friend Chatrume puts out a new instrumental every few weeks. I’m always on the lookout for new stuff, but also listening to lots of vintage soul, boogie, Brazilian funk, and rock. Spotify told me that I’m 73 years old.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Bar Lubitsch turned 20 last month, and we rolled out an all-new cocktail menu to celebrate. In May, The Benjamin is debuting our new patio. Right now I’m putting some finishing touches on the design and working on how to serve thrown tableside martinis and cocktails from a bar cart.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I thought you’d never ask! Breakfast and lunch usually blend into one meal. The breakfast burrito from Tacos 1986 is perfect and I could drink their ranchera salsa. I feel like a Viking eating at Destroyer. Takagi Coffee has a curry omelet that I dream about and the most fluffy pancakes. All have great coffee.
I always enjoy dinner at Jon and Vinny’s, Mother Wolf, and Pace. I finally made it to RVR, and it’s just a perfect restaurant. My favorite these days is The Benjamin, honestly.
How about a little leisure or culture?
My wife Tria and I like to walk by the beach in Santa Monica, as often as we can. We just moved close to the Hammer Museum. It’s fantastic, and we visit whenever they have a new show (the Japanese Block Print exhibit was great), and we always enjoy Lulu’s restaurant. The whole family went to the Gorillaz show at The Palladium. They played their new album in its entirety, a very special night. I love to relax with a cocktail with friends. I genuinely like hanging at my spots and I also really dig Thunderbolt and Las Perlas.
Any weekend getaways?
Carmel-by-the-Sea is idyllic. You can fly, but I like the drive. La Playa Hotel is my favorite place to stay there. It’s luxurious, relaxed and groovy.
What was your last great vacation?
I love spring in New York. We go every year and stay at The Bowery Hotel, which is blocks from where my great-grandparents lived when they immigrated to the US. I love to visit the buildings where they lived and worked in the Lower East Side. While there, we eat knishes from Yonah Shimmel, bagels at Russ and Daughters and tons of pizza. Upside is my current favorite. Cocktails are fantastic in NYC right now: Shmuck, Super Bueno, and Clemente are killing it. For a classic, I always hit Bemelmans for a Martinez.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
The Frame TV. Great for watching movies and really into their art collection. I also love my SunnyFit treadmill. I run on it every day and it’s very nice to my flat feet and old knees.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Super Vinyl in Hollywood. Excellent neighborhood record shop and I love their t-shirts. Speaking of t-shirts, The Hundreds still rules, and for ladies, The Great.
Where are you donating your time or money?
Mostly my daughter’s school, along with a bunch of other schools in LA. Also, anyone on the street that’s asking.