Latest news with #Annie's
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
8 LGBTQ+-friendly restaurants in D.C. to visit during WorldPride
As WorldPride revelers swarm the nation's capital for the weeks-long celebration, plenty of D.C. restaurants will be waiting with open arms. Here are eight dining destinations rolling out the red carpet for myriad LGBTQ+ festivities in the coming weeks. 1609 17th St. NW. This James Beard Award-winning restaurant has been a second home to the gay community since the Truman administration, plying devoted patrons with boozy drinks and 'predictable' comfort foods like fried chicken wings, seared steaks and coconut cream pie. On June 3, Georgia Katinas — the general manager at Annie's and granddaughter of original founder George Katinas — joins New York Times writer and Dining Out author Erik Piepenburg for a discussion about 'Annie's legacy.' There's no charge to attend the hour-long talk (7:30 to 8:30 p.m.), and Annie's will offer free hors d'oeuvres (and a cash bar), but RSVPs are requested. 1609 17th St. NW. This James Beard Award-winning restaurant has been a second home to the gay community since the Truman administration, plying devoted patrons with boozy drinks and 'predictable' comfort foods like fried chicken wings, seared steaks and coconut cream pie. On June 3, Georgia Katinas — the general manager at Annie's and granddaughter of original founder George Katinas — joins New York Times writer and Dining Out author Erik Piepenburg for a discussion about 'Annie's legacy.' There's no charge to attend the hour-long talk (7:30 to 8:30 p.m.), and Annie's will offer free hors d'oeuvres (and a cash bar), but RSVPs are requested. 900 F St. NW. This Penn Quarter brasserie is showing its Pride two ways. The first involves serving specialty cocktails ($20 a pop) honoring famous LGBTQ+ figures including writer James Baldwin (the drink features cognac, coffee liqueur and mole bitters), singer Elton John (nonalcoholic aperitif, nonalcoholic sparkling wine, lemon, juniper), and civil rights activists Harvey Milk (bourbon, toast, maple, clarified milk) and Marsha P. Johnson (tequila, rose liqueur, triple sec, sparkling rosé). And on June 2, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., will stop by at 7:30 p.m. to perform live as part of the 2025 International Choral Festival. No tickets are required to catch the show, but 15 percent of the proceeds from specialty cocktail sales that night will be donated to the Gay Men's Chorus. 900 F St. NW. This Penn Quarter brasserie is showing its Pride two ways. The first involves serving specialty cocktails ($20 a pop) honoring famous LGBTQ+ figures including writer James Baldwin (the drink features cognac, coffee liqueur and mole bitters), singer Elton John (nonalcoholic aperitif, nonalcoholic sparkling wine, lemon, juniper), and civil rights activists Harvey Milk (bourbon, toast, maple, clarified milk) and Marsha P. Johnson (tequila, rose liqueur, triple sec, sparkling rosé). And on June 2, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., will stop by at 7:30 p.m. to perform live as part of the 2025 International Choral Festival. No tickets are required to catch the show, but 15 percent of the proceeds from specialty cocktail sales that night will be donated to the Gay Men's Chorus. 555 Eighth St. NW. The Hotel Monaco's in-house playground is hosting a supersize drag brunch. The two-tiered event kicks off at 11 a.m. June 8 with scheduled appearances from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' alums Alyssa Edwards, Utica and Mercedes Iman Diamond, along with local performers. Tickets to the 21-plus show are $151 for general admission (first-come, first-served seating; buffet brunch; two drinks) and climb to $240 for the VIP package (all of the above plus a pre-show meet-and-greet with Edwards, reserved seating, and $1 donated to WorldPride and Capital Pride). 555 Eighth St. NW. The Hotel Monaco's in-house playground is hosting a supersize drag brunch. The two-tiered event kicks off at 11 a.m. June 8 with scheduled appearances from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' alums Alyssa Edwards, Utica and Mercedes Iman Diamond, along with local performers. Tickets to the 21-plus show are $151 for general admission (first-come, first-served seating; buffet brunch; two drinks) and climb to $240 for the VIP package (all of the above plus a pre-show meet-and-greet with Edwards, reserved seating, and $1 donated to WorldPride and Capital Pride). Multiple locations. The neighborhood seafood spot created by community builder Jamie Leeds — who married her wife, Tina, at her former pasta joint and is celebrating a 20-year run in Dupont Circle this May — is mixing business with pleasure during Pride by running happy hour deals every Monday in June benefiting LGBTQ+-centric nonprofits. The Dupont location is offering $8 martinis and $32 seafood platters and contributing $1 from select drinks to SMYAL; the Wharf location is offering $8 seltzers and discount bar snacks and contributing $1 from select drinks to Metro DC PFLAG; and the Alexandria location will offer $8 spritzes and discount bar snacks and is contributing $1 from select drinks to Safe Space NOVA. Hank's is also running food and drink specials complementing the 17th Street Block Party, Pride on the Pier and Alexandria's Pride Fair. Multiple locations. The neighborhood seafood spot created by community builder Jamie Leeds — who married her wife, Tina, at her former pasta joint and is celebrating a 20-year run in Dupont Circle this May — is mixing business with pleasure during Pride by running happy hour deals every Monday in June benefiting LGBTQ+-centric nonprofits. The Dupont location is offering $8 martinis and $32 seafood platters and contributing $1 from select drinks to SMYAL; the Wharf location is offering $8 seltzers and discount bar snacks and contributing $1 from select drinks to Metro DC PFLAG; and the Alexandria location will offer $8 spritzes and discount bar snacks and is contributing $1 from select drinks to Safe Space NOVA. Hank's is also running food and drink specials complementing the 17th Street Block Party, Pride on the Pier and Alexandria's Pride Fair. 2004 18th St. NW. The queer-owned successor to Adams Morgan's beloved Duplex Diner, a.k.a. 'gay Cheers,' is going hard during WorldPride. Co-owner Kelly Laczko mapped out plans for nightly happy hour deals starting at 5 p.m. — including $5 mini tater tots, $6 draft beers, $8 glasses of Greek rosé, $9 martinis and cosmos, and $10 squeezes — a 'milkshakes and musicals' night celebrating Broadway show tunes (9 p.m. June 5), a 'RuPaul's Drag Race' watch party (8 p.m. June 6), a live drag show hosted by local performers Indiana Bones and Mia Vanderbilt (10 p.m. June 6) leading right into an all-night dance party led by DJ Benny (until 4 a.m. June 7), then all-day brunch and parade-related festivities June 7 and June 8. 2004 18th St. NW. The queer-owned successor to Adams Morgan's beloved Duplex Diner, a.k.a. 'gay Cheers,' is going hard during WorldPride. Co-owner Kelly Laczko mapped out plans for nightly happy hour deals starting at 5 p.m. — including $5 mini tater tots, $6 draft beers, $8 glasses of Greek rosé, $9 martinis and cosmos, and $10 squeezes — a 'milkshakes and musicals' night celebrating Broadway show tunes (9 p.m. June 5), a 'RuPaul's Drag Race' watch party (8 p.m. June 6), a live drag show hosted by local performers Indiana Bones and Mia Vanderbilt (10 p.m. June 6) leading right into an all-night dance party led by DJ Benny (until 4 a.m. June 7), then all-day brunch and parade-related festivities June 7 and June 8. 1811 Columbia Rd. NW. A drag brunch haven for more than three decades, this Adams Morgan charmer is hosting weekly performances throughout WorldPride. The restaurant runs two shows every Sunday, with the first seating from 10 a.m. to noon and the second from 1 to 3 p.m. Brunch is $40 and includes the breakfast buffet and a show featuring local performers. Perry's is also offering a specialty cocktail (vodka, crème de violette, sparkling wine) for $14 from June 2 through 8, with half the proceeds from the featured drink sales benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit the Pride 365 Fund. 1811 Columbia Rd. NW. A drag brunch haven for more than three decades, this Adams Morgan charmer is hosting weekly performances throughout WorldPride. The restaurant runs two shows every Sunday, with the first seating from 10 a.m. to noon and the second from 1 to 3 p.m. Brunch is $40 and includes the breakfast buffet and a show featuring local performers. Perry's is also offering a specialty cocktail (vodka, crème de violette, sparkling wine) for $14 from June 2 through 8, with half the proceeds from the featured drink sales benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit the Pride 365 Fund. Multiple locations. The homegrown pizza chain fostered by pioneering D.C. chef and restaurateur Ruth Gresser is offering a rainbow of Pride-themed cocktails ($12 to $15) at its Dupont Circle and Georgetown locations in June, including negronis (red), amaretto sours (orange), limoncello-spiked margaritas (yellow) and floral spritzes (purple). There's also a specialty cupcake ($9) featuring vanilla funfetti cake crowned with rainbow buttercream. The Dupont shop is also offering a $40 meal deal (one appetizer, one small pizza, one large pizza) from May 30 to June 1, and the Hyattsville outpost is hosting drag bingo at 6:30 p.m. June 18 in conjunction with Prince George's County libraries. Multiple locations. The homegrown pizza chain fostered by pioneering D.C. chef and restaurateur Ruth Gresser is offering a rainbow of Pride-themed cocktails ($12 to $15) at its Dupont Circle and Georgetown locations in June, including negronis (red), amaretto sours (orange), limoncello-spiked margaritas (yellow) and floral spritzes (purple). There's also a specialty cupcake ($9) featuring vanilla funfetti cake crowned with rainbow buttercream. The Dupont shop is also offering a $40 meal deal (one appetizer, one small pizza, one large pizza) from May 30 to June 1, and the Hyattsville outpost is hosting drag bingo at 6:30 p.m. June 18 in conjunction with Prince George's County libraries. 1207 Ninth St. NW. This critically acclaimed Convention Center haunt has several Pride-related activities planned. The monthly drag bingo game is scheduled for May 22 (6:30 to 9:30 p.m.). Each $60 ticket includes five bingo cards (additional cards available for $2 a pop); a buffet dinner; dessert; a show by local performers like India Larelle Houston; $10 Cantina Mule cocktails; and $15 slices of rainbow layer cake, with 100 percent of cake and cocktail sales that night benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit wayOUT. The restaurant is also donating 25 percent of sales from rainbow layer cake slices and regularly priced Cantina Mule cocktails ($14) through the end of June to wayOUT. 1207 Ninth St. NW. This critically acclaimed Convention Center haunt has several Pride-related activities planned. The monthly drag bingo game is scheduled for May 22 (6:30 to 9:30 p.m.). Each $60 ticket includes five bingo cards (additional cards available for $2 a pop); a buffet dinner; dessert; a show by local performers like India Larelle Houston; $10 Cantina Mule cocktails; and $15 slices of rainbow layer cake, with 100 percent of cake and cocktail sales that night benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit wayOUT. The restaurant is also donating 25 percent of sales from rainbow layer cake slices and regularly priced Cantina Mule cocktails ($14) through the end of June to wayOUT.
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Nationwide boycott targeted General Mills: Why consumers took action
Hear this story Consumers nationwide took part in a week-long boycott of General Mills last week, taking aim at the massive company that organizers say represents everything wrong with the corporate grip on the nation's food system. The seven-day spending freeze was organized by the People's Union USA and led by John Schwarz. Schwarz, in an Instagram post, cited what he claims is General Mills' purported toxic ingredients, alleged price gouging during inflation, avoiding of fair taxes and its allegedly store-wide domination of mass-produced, low-nutrition products. Here's what to know about the General Mills boycott, including what products were included. When is the General Mills boycott? The General Mills boycott began April 21 and ended at midnight on Monday, April 28. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Consumers and economic blackouts: Shoppers continue business boycotts as Target takes the biggest hit What is the General Mills boycott? Why are people boycotting General Mills? The People's Union USA is calling for a national boycott of the corporate giant's continued efforts to "profit off the backs of American families while doing absolutely nothing to reinvest into the communities it profits from." Schwarz, in an Instagram video, called out the companies' alleged efforts to churn out "ultra-processed garbage" and "sugary poison," spending millions to lobby against GMO transparency and better food labeling to keep Americans blind to what they are eating. What items are on the General Mills boycott list? Here's a list of General Mills products General Mills is a manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer foods and pet food products that include cereal, prepared and frozen foods, soup, snacks, yogurt, baking products, pet food and ice cream. Several brands fall under the umbrella of General Mills: Cereals: Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, Count Chocula, Golden Grahams, Kix, Lucky Charms, Raisin Nut Bran, Reese's Puffs, Total, Trix and Wheaties Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, Count Chocula, Golden Grahams, Kix, Lucky Charms, Raisin Nut Bran, Reese's Puffs, Total, Trix and Wheaties Baking: Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Gold Medal, Bisquick, Autumn's Gold Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Gold Medal, Bisquick, Autumn's Gold Snacks: Nature Valley, Annie's (organic snacks), EPIC, Larabar, Chex Mix, Dunkaroos, Fiber One, Gardetto's Nature Valley, Annie's (organic snacks), EPIC, Larabar, Chex Mix, Dunkaroos, Fiber One, Gardetto's Yogurt: Yoplait, Oui, :ratio Yoplait, Oui, :ratio Ice Cream: Häagen-Dazs Häagen-Dazs Pet Food: Blue Buffalo Blue Buffalo Other Brands: Annie's (organic), Old El Paso, Totino's, Muir Glen (organic), Progresso (soups) Do boycotts work? Do economic blackouts work? The results from boycotts are often mixed, but professors told USA TODAY that it can be a successful tactic to shame a company into reversing decisions or taking action. In 2023, conservative activists staged boycotts of Target's Pride Month displays, leading the store to move its Pride displays to the back of stores. Last year, the retailer opted to scale back on its Pride collection, with many stores choosing not to carry it. Bud Light, owned by beer giant Anheuser-Busch, suffered plummeting sales following backlash in 2023 over a social media campaign with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. While difficult to gauge, data from the first economic blackout on Feb. 28 suggests there was "some potential impact" on sales for larger retailers, including Target, Walmart and Amazon, according to a USA TODAY report. Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sarasota area waterfront restaurant closes after nearly 70 years, will be deeply missed
One of the best restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton for burgers, grouper sandwiches, and classic Old Florida waterfront charm has permanently closed. For two decades, I visited Annie's Bait & Tackle, a humble gem hugging the Intracoastal Waterway in the historic commercial fishing village of Cortez, which also borders north Sarasota Bay. Opened in 1955, Annie's was where boaters and fishermen stopped for fuel and bait — but it was the food served at its cozy tables, laid-back beer and wine bar, and breezy patio that kept me coming back. Alas, now it's gone — another victim of hurricanes Milton and Helene, and the relentless march of progress, as they say. Best waterfront restaurants 10 favorites I love to recommend in Sarasota-Manatee Ticket Newsletter: Sign up to receive restaurant news, reviews, and fun things to do every Friday The community's hopes of saving Annie's Bait & Tackle after hurricane flood damage left it battered were dashed when Manatee County officials opted to move forward with plans for a new marina on the property, my Herald-Tribune colleague Jesse Mendoza reported earlier this month. Annie's Bait & Tackle owner Bruce Shearer and his family pushed to rebuild, but he dismissed Manatee County's proposals as 'losing efforts.' County officials presented options at a public meeting, including a two-year rebuild to meet flood standards or a temporary setup costing up to $250,000 with food trailers and limited services. Shearer rejected the temporary option, arguing he could repair his shop for around $100,000 and that the county's plan wouldn't support a viable business. "That business is like 'Cheers' on TV — it's where people got together and had birthday parties and all that stuff — that won't happen in your proposal," Shearer said. "As you've proposed things right now, I'm done. It just won't work. Financially, it won't work. You'll lose $250,000, and I'll lose $100,000. It would be failed within two months, I guarantee ya." Longtime local resident Shearer bought Annie's Bait & Tackle, located at 4334 127th St. W., Cortez, in 1995, but its history dates back much earlier, with Shearer explaining to me in 2021 that the Cipriani family, who would later sell their nearby C&C Marine, purchased the property in 1945. 'They filled it all in, with construction of this building taking place in the early to mid-'50s, I'm guessing,' Shearer said from behind the counter at Annie's on a Friday afternoon in February four years ago. 'There were snacks and then those square sandwiches from a vending machine in the 1970s.' Shearer's memory aligns with that of Capt. Zach Zacharias, the Herald-Tribune's former outdoors correspondent. 'My first recollection of the proprietors was a salty old character by the name of Taylor,' Zacharias wrote of Annie's Bait & Tackle in 2014. 'He purveyed live shrimp primarily and also stocked rudimentary tackle items, drinks and snacks up until the late '70s, when Annie took over. Annie was a real breath of fresh air and the name has stuck despite a string of operators since.' As for the waterfront property on which Annie's sat, the Cipriani family sold it to the Berry family, which, according to Herald-Tribune archives, was known for operating 'the Miss Cortez Party boats.' They eventually sold the property to Hamlin Jones, who also owned the Seafood Shack next door. Shearer said he made a million-dollar offer to Jones for the Annie's property. Jones declined and sold the entire waterfront lot to the Canadian developer Vandyk Group in 2014. Aside from the dock being washed out in 2012 by Tropical Storm Debby, Annie's Bait & Tackle required only minor repairs for decades, with the exterior and interior looking much the same as it did in the 1950s — or at least the '70s, when Shearer recalled first setting foot in the place. 'We've been so damn lucky,' Shearer told me in 2021. 'I hope to hold onto it for at least a few more years. We'll see.' Manatee County purchased the property that includes the Seafood Shack restaurant and marina, as well as Annie's Bait & Tackle, for $13 million at the end of 2024. County commissioners now plan to build a public boat ramp there called Cortez Marina, designed to expand access to local waterways with boat ramps and other potential amenities on the property located at the base of the Cortez Bridge, right across the Intracoastal Waterway from Anna Maria Island and Bradenton Beach. While many local residents support the project, they have also voiced a clear desire for it to include Annie's Bait & Tackle. Annie's "has been a staple of this community since the doctor at Manatee Memorial Hospital patted me on my little rear end," Manatee County community activist Andrea Griffin said during the early March meeting. "It is the tackle shop that I got my first shrimp from to go fishing, and I know that those things are important to people in this community." "I hope that each and every one of you guys take your time before you say 'no' and look at all the good that this tackle shop has done," she said. "I'm 45 years old — 45 — and there's nothing but good memories from that place." Yeah, I also have nothing but fond memories of Annie's. Bottles of beer with fried grouper sandwiches or burgers — always with an order of thin-cut, salty fries — sitting with the water right at your feet, in the shadow of the bridge, watching folks fuel up their boats, buy more bait, or just grab a bite to eat and a cold one. I dined and drank there alone, with my wife, Kristin, and several of our dogs on the back patio over the years. We dined alongside strangers, too, who soon became friends, if only for one gorgeous afternoon. Like Shearer said, it was similar to "Cheers" — if the sitcom took place in a small Southern fishing village rather than a big city in the Northeast. I'll sure miss Annie's and wish the best for the Shearer family moving forward. Thank you for many cherished memories! Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota area waterfront restaurant closes after nearly 70 years
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This $3.99 Target Find Is My Family's New Favorite—It's So Good
Like many families with kids, mine consumes a lot of mac and cheese. It's one of those pantry staples that always saves the day when schedules are packed and hunger strikes fast. Since I didn't grow up with boxed mac and cheese (the quick-fix meal of my childhood was frozen dumplings), I didn't have an affinity or nostalgia for a specific brand. So over the years, I've tried many different flavors and styles, from the iconic blue-boxed Kraft to the house brands at my favorite grocery stores. For the longest time, Annie's was my household's default boxed mac. That is, until we discovered Goodles. Fellow Simply Recipes contributor Stephanie Ganz has already shared how much her family loves Goodles mac and cheese, and I couldn't agree more. Last year, Goodles launched a new "deluxe" version that takes things to the next level. It's become my family's new favorite and, at just $3.99, it's an affordable and delicious $3.99 for one 9-ounce box at Target Why I Love It: It's even more convenient than the powdered cheese version, and it comes in a larger size, which means one box can feed my family of three with enough leftovers for my son's lunchbox the next convenience of Goodles squeezy cheese mac is unbeatable—yes, even more so than the original. Unlike the powdered version, which requires milk (and butter if you want it extra rich), the deluxe version comes with a ready-to-use packet of cheese sauce. All you have to do is cook the pasta, squeeze in the sauce, and stir, making an already fast meal even faster. Another huge plus is the generous serving size. The deluxe box contains nine ounces of mac and cheese, compared to the usual six ounces of Goodles' powdered mac and cheese. For our family of three, that means there's always enough left over for filling my son's lunchbox the next day. Then there's the texture and taste. Goodles squeezy cheese mac is noticeably creamier than the powdered version, which further enhances the cheese flavor. It has a smooth, velvety consistency that makes it more indulgent and rich. My son loves it, of course, and so do the adults at the table. The only downside of the newer line is that there are currently only two options to choose from. Whereas the original macs come in several shapes and flavors, including ones with gluten-free noodles, the squeezy cheese version is only available in "Ched Over Heels" (a mild cheddar sauce over shells) and "Shell We Dance" (an aged white cheddar sauce over shells). I'm watching for new flavors, but until then, you'll find me dropping boxes of both flavors of the new Goodles Mac and Cheese With Liquid Sauce into my grocery cart. To learn more about our approach to product recommendations, see HERE. Read the original article on SIMPLYRECIPES
