IT USED TO BE, only a few summers ago, that the backyard barbecue was the ultimate yard-based bash a person could throw, or attend, when June rolled around. A checkered table cloth atop a picnic table, a few fancy mustards and relishes, and a vegetarian choice, in addition to the hot dogs, completed the balmy-evening'd scene. And while barbecues aren't going anywhere, as a social phenom and classic summertime get-together, they've faced some competition from the backyard movie night. Cool projectors have popped up in catalogs in recent years, and easy-to-set-up screens, too, and the thought of throwing some pillows down, and inviting the neighbors over for a fun flick, has flowed through many a host's mind. But what if you could combine the ease and open-air-ness of a backyard movie night with some of the posher elements of a hip hotel? No need to ponder too long, for...
HOTEL IRVINE... is doing just this, over three summer Friday nights, in 2018. This isn't the first year for the event, which has become a fun go-to thanks to both the quality of the films selected and, yes, the ability to order eats like "... hot-off-the-grill burgers, artisan sandwiches, fresh farmers market salads, and staple movie snacks like ice cream, nachos, popcorn, and candies." There's an outdoor bar, yep, and a Frosé cocktail that is the sort of cool-down drink made for a warmer night. As for what'll roll on the outdoor screen? "The Greatest Showman" is up first, on June 22, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" brandishes its light saber on July 6, and Wakanda visits Irvine, via "Black Panther," on the final day of August. A ticket to this backyard-meets-hotel-cool to-do? Your entry to Hotel Irvine's Movie Nights in the Backyard is ten bucks per event, and the valet parking, oh yeah, is comped.
