{"id":81671,"date":"2024-02-21T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/?post_type=newspack_nl_cpt&p=81671"},"modified":"2024-02-21T10:05:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T18:05:24","slug":"save-the-human-race-before-you-down-a-pitcher-of-margaritas","status":"publish","type":"newspack_nl_cpt","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/newsletter\/save-the-human-race-before-you-down-a-pitcher-of-margaritas","title":{"rendered":"Save the human race before you down a pitcher of margaritas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
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Off the Clock<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Your time-off itinerary for things to do in Long Beach and beyond. Subscribe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Courtesy of Escape Long Beach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever dreamed of solving a paranormal mystery? How \u2018bout cracking a code to save the human race? Do you enjoy roleplaying? Do you ever feel like you just want to escape<\/em>? \u2026Are these weird questions? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re not talking about Dungeons and Dragons today (sorry nerds). We\u2019re talking about escape rooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who have no idea what I\u2019m talking about, an escape room is an immersive game in which you (and your comrades) are locked in a room and tasked with solving a series of puzzles under a certain amount of time (usually an hour) to crack some sort of mystery or accomplish a goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So today, the itinerary I have to offer you is an escape room in Belmont Heights and happy hour \u2014 the order of things is up to you, but the post-puzzle drink comes highly recommended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Escape Long Beach – 3926 E. Broadway<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Lab, a room at Escape Long Beach, tasks team members with disarming a bioweapon that threatens to wipe out the entire population of California. Photo courtesy of Escape Long Beach. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Recently, I booked a room at Escape Long Beach<\/strong>, located conveniently close to Panxa Cocina<\/strong> (we\u2019ll get to that later). It was my first time trying a hand at such a game and I\u2019ll be honest, I think my teammates (or fellow agents) were running circles around me (and perhaps a little annoyed.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my defense, we picked The Lab,<\/strong> their most difficult game. But I still enjoyed it and was able to point some lasers in the right direction, investigate suspicious sources and carefully mine a series of documents to crack a few world-saving codes (ahem, that\u2019s basically what we do at the Post<\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenge? The FBI receives a video from a \u201cmad environmental science student\u201d (CSULB<\/strong>?) named Seymour Green<\/strong>. He threatens to deploy a bioweapon which will essentially destroy all of California<\/strong>. You and your fellow FBI agents (they give you FBI jackets to wear) break into Green\u2019s lab and must discover where, when and how his weapon will deploy. You\u2019re to disengage within 55 minutes \u2014 before his security system releases \u201cpoison gas.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further in my defense, the two dudes I choose to join on this adventure regularly play some pretty involved tabletop games, so if that sounds like you, you will definitely enjoy a more challenging escape room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If not, The Queen Mary<\/strong> room is supposed to be easier. And if you\u2019re looking for a local element with a paranormal twist, this experience is for you. Find out more about that one here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few things to know: Each room requires a minimum of two players and will allow a maximum of six. You must arrive 5 to 10 minutes early so the friendly operators of Escape Long Beach can give you the rundown. Booking must be done ahead of time and you can do that here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ticket prices go by group size, from $118 total for two to $35 per person for groups of four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until recently, Escape Long Beach was the city\u2019s only fixed escape room. Now, you can also check out PanIQ Room in Downtown<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Panxa Cocina – 3937 E. Broadway<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whatever shape that escape room left you and your fellow agents in, follow the map above over to Panxa Cocina<\/strong> for a victory drink or perhaps to salve the sting of defeat. Either way, you deserve it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of having some of the best drinks (and food) in Long Beach, this New Mexican establishment also has one of the best happy hour menus. And, they get bonus points for offering happy hours on Saturdays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be sure to call an Uber or designate a saintly sober comrade because we\u2019re ordering a $46 <\/strong>pitcher of Flaquita<\/strong> margaritas. That\u2019s lunazul reposado, lime juice and agave. During happy hour Panxa offers $8 off any pitcher of margaritas from their Smokey Mango to the Margapeno to the Watermelon Basil. Be warned, these are dangerously delicious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More drinking deals: $2 off signature cocktails, $2 off margaritas, $9 house wines, $2 off beers, $8 house tequila and a $17 Road Runner (16 oz Modelo with a shot of tequila and a taco of your choosing). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

OK but we\u2019re starving after all of that code-cracking right? Try one of their $9 dishes on happy hour. I\u2019m a fan of the ceviche tostada, the totopos and the elote tempura balls (you read that right). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t leave without a taco though (and maybe another pitcher). Street tacos are $4 and you can choose between short rib, pork, chorizo, veggie, chorizo, potato, chicken, shrimp or all the above (no judgment here). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy hour is from 3 to 6 p.m.<\/strong> Wednesday<\/strong> through Saturday<\/strong>. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so maybe avoid booking your escape room on those days. If not, try the nearby 36\/36 Club<\/strong> (an adorable dive with pinball); The Attic<\/strong>, a swanky little bar up the street or the classic (and historic) Reno Room\/Cocorenos. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you tried Escape Long Beach or the PanIQ Room? What did you think? Do you have any reality-simulating puzzle recommendations? Email me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kat Schuster<\/strong> is the assistant editor for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her at kat@lbpost.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever dreamed of solving a paranormal mystery? How \u2018bout cracking a code to save the human race?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":302,"featured_media":81674,"template":"","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"hidden","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","disable_auto_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32199],"tags":[],"newspack_nl_advertiser":[],"coauthors":[9454],"class_list":["post-81671","newspack_nl_cpt","type-newspack_nl_cpt","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-off-the-clock","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_nl_cpt\/81671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_nl_cpt"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/newspack_nl_cpt"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/302"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_nl_cpt\/81671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81691,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_nl_cpt\/81671\/revisions\/81691"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81671"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_nl_advertiser","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_nl_advertiser?post=81671"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=81671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}