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The Los Angeles Athletic Club hosted its 6^th Annual L.A. Collegiate Boxing Invitational (Rivals in the Ring) Friday, December 4, 2015. The main event featured UCLA versus USC in a cross-town showdown.

With the availability of fights on pay-per-view television, HBO Fight Nights and 20,000+ person spectacles at Las Vegas hotels, it’s easy to forget that “the sweet science” has long ties to academia and high society. The Los Angeles Athletic Club has not forgotten these boxing traditions. Our evening included great food, extravagant outfits, and tremendous matchups between seven different colleges. The black-tie optional event also included a whiskey/scotch tasting by the Ambassador of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. This was a great option for those who enjoy the finer things in life, such as sipping a nice scotch.

The event featured ten different bouts sanctioned by the NCBA (National Collegiate Boxing Association). The feature event was a bout between the women of Troy and UCLA. In her 2^nd year boxing at this event, Rachel Luba of UCLA, defeated Rocky Canon of USC, in a very close fight that had fans of both schools on their feet cheering. This match-up now has the cross-town rivalry tied at three wins each.

LAAC’s Gentlemen’s Locker Room and Lounge is one of the finest facilities in the country, featuring, a spa, steam room, two saunas and pro-style lockers.  Designers toured the top private clubs in the country as well as the facilities of professional sports teams during the planning phase of this space. The luxurious lounge area features a shoe-shine station manned by Marco Ramirez, who has provided this service to our members for the last 31 years. The second phase of the multi floor renovation will include the Ladies Locker Room and Lounge, scheduled to open summer of 2016.

LAAC is proud to introduce our Cocktail Menu.  Liquid Assets partners with the Club to create seasonal craft cocktails, unique to Invention Bar. Invention Bartenders receive special hands-on training so that they can  perfectly mix each drink for you.

Among the Fall 2015 seasonal offerings is the Duke’s 3.0 Martini, a variation on an old Club favorite.  Duke’s Martini is updated seasonally, but is always created with a base structure of spirit, bitters, and sherry.

A new addition to the lineup is the Uplifters Cup, named after the LAAC Uplifters, founded in 1913 and dedicated to the uplifting of artistic pursuits. The Uplifters Cup recipe centers around the premise of layering ingredients with a similar flavor to create a more complex taste.

Reviving the art of hosting, Timothy Oulton, global dinner party series stop number two. The ‘Fun Formal’ dinner in the Blue Room included special guest Jonathan Thomason, an award-winning British journalist who attended each of the dinner parties.

On September 25th, LAAC members gathered in the Olympic Lounge in their fanciest dress for a champagne toast to 135 years of the Los Angeles Athletic Club.  While photographers snapped photos of members mingling, a harpist filled the air with festive music, anticipation was mounting for the main event.  When the ballroom doors opened, the members streamed into an Art Deco dining room while a jazz band played and ballroom dancers whirled around the dance floor.  During the evening, members enjoyed a four course dinner, a trumpet solo by world-renowned artist and fellow member Nolan Shaheed, and performances by dancers to music from the 1920’s to the 1950’s.  As dinner concluded, the guests joined the dancers on the ballroom floor.  Some guests moved to Invention Bar to hear one of downtown’s best DJs, and as the night went on, a small group gathered in the Blue Room to sip prohibition-themed cocktails and enjoy a live piano player.  The memorable evening was a wonderful tribute to LAAC’s heritage, and an exciting launch into the next century in our Club’s history.

Once a catalyst for some of the city’s most influential friendships and business ventures, the historic fourth floor Blue Room has reopened its doors, reinvented and remodelled in partnership with British designer Timothy Oulton.

Cozy and relaxing, with an edge of drama and intrigue, the Blue Room retains a strong sense of its erstwhile allure in a fresh, modern setting. Huge comfortable leather wing chairs sit with repurposed Drum side tables, while vibrantly-coloured Chesterfields invite conversation under the glow of a chandelier crafted from real laboratory test tubes. Every nook reveals vintage curiosities, from sporting trophies to Timothy Oulton’s striking Match Point artwork, created from old wooden tennis rackets.

According to LAAC general manager Steve Hathaway: “The collaboration is a blend of two iconic brands that represent heritage, quality, and the celebration of a holistic lifestyle, which balances pleasure and productivity.”

The story of Timothy Oulton began in 1976 with a small antique shop owned by Tim’s dad. Profoundly influenced by his love of antiques, his father’s military background, and an inherent affection for British heritage, Tim created an authentic, visionary brand with a deep commitment, integrity and a passion to deliver the extraordinary. Today, Timothy Oulton is a world-wide luxury brand with a global presence.