Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery begins remodel
DES MOINES, Iowa — This week the rebirth started at an Iowa State Fair landmark, the old Steer 'N' Stein. After action taken by the Iowa State Fair, a new vendor was allowed to re-make the location into something entirely new. It will be called the Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery.
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'Our goal here was to really just open up the venue and try and get it so that if you're a person inside, you can look out and see because the true action happens down Grand Avenue and you can see what happens down the street and look down towards the Grandstand,' said Diana Marquardt, who is leading the remodel effort. 'Honestly, what an ideal location we were given like the Steer 'N' Stein carries a lot of nostalgia with the Iowa State Fair and we definitely want to carry on that type of nostalgia.'
The plan also calls for live entertainment.
'That was one of the first things we started working on was what groups can we invite,' said Marquardt. 'One to two artists every day from things like dueling pianos so there's a great Hispanic band that comes out of Chicago, on the first Sunday afternoon.'
The bottom line attraction for owner Joni Bell is the food.
'We've got some great creations. You're not gonna wanna miss them,' said Bell. 'Tony has really really put some good inspiration in this year and designed some new things that I've told him this is what I think would be good then he creates them.'
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Favorite old-school (and now defunct) hangouts included the Bakery Centre (the site of Shops at Sunset Place); Specs records store; the original CocoWalk; and — going way back to the archives — Whirlyball. 'It was like this concept of bumper cars and wiffle ball and jai alai,' Llamas explained. 'It sounds like a Miami fever dream.' These days, you'll catch the media superstar with his wife and three kids at iconic spots like Versailles ('a classic'), Pinecrest Bakery ('the best pastelitos'), Joe's Stone Crab (for the colossals) and Faena (their kids love the 'blinged out fossil.') As for local sports? Llamas is still all about the U, aka the University of Miami's Hurricanes, which won five national championships in the 1980s and '90s. 'Some of my best memories with my dad are going to the Orange Bowl and watching them just dominate,' he said, adding he still catches Marlins and Dolphins games every now and again. 'Those were great teams and great years for a very long time.' His brilliant career Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Llamas began cutting his teeth with the NBC family in various behind the scenes roles. His first on-air position was at NBC 6 South Florida, with his folks cheering him on from their living room a few miles away. 'I was really green when I started and made a lot of mistakes, especially when I was live,' Llamas admitted, laughing. 'I called my mom and I'd say, 'How'd I do?' And she'd say, 'You did you did great.' I knew I was terrible!' Llamas got better, way better. He went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for his report on human smuggling while embedded at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. Among the vastly fascinating stories in his highlight reel, some stick out more than others, namely natural disasters. He's covered all the big storms, from Katrina and Irene to Sandy, and lived through Andrew as a kid. 'Hurricanes remind us we're not in control,' he said. 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