For those about to drink, we ‘salute’ you

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Here are a couple of new evening destinations to put on your 2009 radar:

The first is a wine bar in Santa Monica called Saluté. While the cozy lounge, pictured above, has been open since December, they will toast their newfound neighborhood buzz with a grand opening celebration Thursday evening. This small newcomer features thin-crust pizzas and gourmet piattini to go with varietals from around the world.

The second is Blackbird, a bar on Melrose Avenue that opened its doors earlier this month. Located in the former Gig space, Blackbird features exposed brick walls, cheap drinks and a killer jukebox. The decor may remind you a bit of the wildly popular gastropub Village Idiot, located just blocks away, only Blackbird is not serving food yet. But don’t get too comfortable calling Blackbird by its name ... owners hint they are already thinking about changing the moniker to something catchier.

-- Charlie Amter