Oh lordy, it's going to rain again, which always puts me in a slightly Euro - mood, craving nothing but to curl up in my black cashmere sweater with some red wine in the back of a dark bar, smoke cigarettes, and complain about politics. Although I 've given up the pack-a-day ten years ago now, the bar is a habit I can't break. 
Bar Pintxo to be exact. Pronounced pinch-oh ( don't worry, it took me three visits to get it) it's the perfect little tapas bar in Santa Monica, small and candlelit - you can instantly disappear.
Having lived for a summer in Barcelona, I can attest to the fact that the tapas here is not only authentic, it's freakin delicious. Perfect little morsels, or wonderful little half sandwich surprises, white wine garlic skewered shrimp and the olives- oh the olives- they are good too. 
If you are a wine- spiller like me ( I just get so excited! I can't help it! ) you'll love that they serve wine " canteen style" - which is basically in a rocks glass. I mean, you ( or I ) can still spill it, but you have to work a bit harder.
Bar Pinxto Happy Hour is EVERY DAY and late night so click through to get the details. Now that you know where to go- the only big decision you have to make is Vino Tinto or Vino Blanco!