Latest news with #Martinis
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sauk Valley's favorite businesses honored at Mad Water Saloon
May 16—DIXON — Business owners and members of the Shaw Local team gathered at Dixon's Mad Water Saloon on Thursday to celebrate the Sauk Valley's favorite businesses of 2025. Shaw Local's Sauk Valley Favorites 2025 contest drew more than 67,000 votes, resulting in 5,166 nominations for more than 1,400 businesses in 100 categories, as residents across the Sauk Valley region cast their ballots to honor their favorite local businesses and services. "When we first envisioned Sauk Valley Favorites, we had hoped that it would become a way to spotlight the incredible local businesses that make this community special, but the response that we received was bigger than our wildest expectations," Sauk Valley Media's Publisher Jennifer Heintzelman said. Shaw Local held a similar "Reader's Choice" contest in the past, but decided to harness the power of its combined news and radio audience to create an all-encompassing contest highlighting the community's "hidden gems." The process began last November, when nominations were opened across more than 110 categories through January, including Home Services, Auto Service, Food & Beverage, Professional Services, Health & Beauty, Local Arts, Leisure & Entertainment and Local Retail. Each category featured a top-voted 'Favorite' business, with additional honorees recognized as 'One of the Favorites.' The following is a list of the 'Favorite' businesses: Auto Sales Service & Equipment Favorite Auto Body Shop: Slim-N-Hanks Favorite Auto Repair: Moore Tires Favorite Car Wash: Huffman Car Wash Favorite Farm Equipment Dealer: Peabudy's Favorite Gas Station: Casey's Favorite Lawn/Yard Equipment Dealer: Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center — Dixon Favorite Place for an Oil Change: Palmyra Pines Auto Service Favorite Place to Buy Tires: Moore Tires Favorite Wrecker/Towing Service: Dabney Services LLC Food & Beverage Favorite Bakery: Aurelio's Bake Shop Favorite Banquet Facility: Deer Valley Banquets Favorite Bar/Tavern: Lisa's Brick House Bar & Grill Favorite Bartender: Mateo Martinez — LUXX The Restaurant Favorite Caterer: Back Road Bar-B-Q Favorite Deli: Arthur's Garden Deli Favorite Food Truck: Main Squeeze Favorite Liquor Store: Liquor 'N' Wine Favorite Place for a First Date: LUXX The Restaurant Favorite Place for a Shake: Culver's Favorite Place for a Steak: LUXX The Restaurant Favorite Place for Bloody Mary: Lisa's Brick House Bar & Grill Favorite Place for Breakfast: Eggs in Paradise Favorite Place for Brunch: Fresco on First Favorite Place for Chicken: Candlelight Inn Favorite Place for Coffee: Coffee Crush Favorite Place for Dessert: Meusel's Dairy Delite Favorite Place for Hamburgers: Shamrock Pub Favorite Place for Ice Cream: Meusel's Dairy Delite Favorite Place for Lunch: Kelly's Favorite Place for Margarita's: Kelly's Favorite Place for Martinis: Bartini's Favorite Place for Mexican Food: Kelly's Favorite Place for Pizza: Angelo's Favorite Place for Seafood: Luxx The Restaurant Favorite Place for Tacos: La Laguna Favorite Place for Wings: JW's 3rd Base Favorite Place to Buy Meat: The Butcher Shop Favorite Restaurant: Kelly's Favorite Salad Bar: Angelo's Health & Beauty Favorite Assisted Living Facility: Resthave Care & Rehabilitation Favorite Barbershop: Ben's Phresh Kutz Favorite Beauty Salon: B'lush Salon Favorite Chiropractic Clinic: Kirkland Family Chiropractic Center Favorite Dental Clinic: Amboy Dental Group Favorite Fitness Center: Grit & Grace Fitness Favorite Home Health Care Agency: Rock River Hospice & Home Favorite Massage/Day Spa: Relax with Sarah Favorite Nursing Home: Heritage Square Favorite Place to get a Manicure/Pedicure: Nails By Victoria Garcia Favorite Place to Purchase Eyeglasses: CGH Vision Center Favorite Yoga Studio: Rhuomai Studio Home Services Favorite Contractor/Carpenter: Boss Roofing — Siding Experts Favorite Electrician: Weaver Electric Favorite Fencing Company: Sterling Fence & Deck Favorite Flooring Company: Brothers Flooring Favorite Garage Door Installer: Grizzly Garage Door Favorite Greenhouse/Nursery: Selmi's Favorite Heating/Cooling Contractor: Farley's Appliance Sales and Services Favorite Landscape Contractor: Dravis Landscape Favorite Lumber Company: Frary Lumber Favorite Pest Control: Pest Control Consultants Favorite Plumber: SPK Plumbing & Heating Favorite Roofing Company: TCS, Total Construction Services Favorite Tree Service Provider: Cole's Complete Tree Service Local Arts, Leisure, & Entertainment Favorite Campground: Crow Valley Campground Favorite Church and Where: Immanuel Lutheran Dixon Favorite Community Event: Petunia Fest Favorite Dance Studio: Eastman School of Dance Favorite Event Venue: Dixon Elks Lodge 779 Favorite Golf Course: Deer Valley Golf Club Favorite Local Politician: Joe McDonald Favorite Local Radio Personality: Sam Ramirez — River Country Favorite Local Radio Station: River Country 101.7 Favorite Park: Lowell Park Favorite Photographer: You In Photos By Nanc Inc. Favorite Place for Lotto Tickets: Casey's Favorite Place to Play Slots: Abby's Favorite Place to Take Kids: Selmi's Favorite Recreation Spot: Plum Hollow Family Center Local Retail Favorite Antique Shop: Showplace Antiques & Treasures Favorite Appliance Store: Farley's Appliance Sales and Services Favorite Convenience Store: Casey's Favorite Furniture Store: Harold's Furniture Favorite Gift Store: Golden Key Gifts & Candle Co. Favorite Hardware Store: Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center — Dixon Favorite Jewelry Store: Venier Jewelers Inc. Favorite Pet Supply Store: PetSmart — Sterling Favorite Place to Buy Flowers/Plants: Lundstrom Florist Favorite Place to Buy Men's Clothing: Kaleel's Clothing & Printing Favorite Place to Buy Shoes: Shoe Sensation Favorite Place to Buy Women's Clothing: Mud & Moo Boutique Favorite Second Hand/Resale Shop: Angel Treasures Professional Services Favorite Auctioneer: Youngs Auction Service Favorite Bank: Sauk Valley Bank Favorite Children's Daycare: Dixon Family YMCA, Lovett Child Development Center Favorite Credit Union: Select Employees Credit Union Favorite Divorce Attorney: Darla Foulker — Ehrmann Gehlbach Badger & Considine, LLC Favorite Financial Planner: Edward Jones Favorite Funeral Home: McDonald Funeral Home & Crematory Favorite Insurance Agency: State Farm Favorite Insurance Agent: Chris Hammitt — State Farm Favorite Law Firm: Law Office of Paul Whitcombe Favorite Pet Groomer: Furology Pet Spa Favorite Real Estate Agent: Shawney Evans — Sauk Valley Properties Favorite Real Estate Company: Sauk Valley Properties Favorite Tanning Salon: Westwood Fitness & Sports Center Favorite Tattoo Shop: Raven Tattoo Favorite Tax Preparer: Wiemken's Tax Service Favorite Travel Agency: Destinations Travel Services Favorite Veterinary Clinic: River Ridge Animal Hospital
Telegraph
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Bond's Martini ‘becoming more popular than sweet cocktails'
It's the drink that 007 James Bond made famous with his 'shaken, not stirred' catchphrase. And British drinkers are now returning to the classic Martini, moving away from sugary and fruit-heavy cocktails. The classic cocktail – made with gin or vodka and dry vermouth, served with an olive or lemon twist – has seen renewed popularity in London, where bars are reporting growing demand. The Connaught Hotel, known for its Martini trolley, serves approximately 16,000 Martinis annually. The newly opened Dover has introduced a menu devoted entirely to the drink, while Selfridges' rooftop restaurant, Alto by San Carlo, offers seven variations Retail figures reflect the shift. Sales of pre-mixed canned Martinis have risen by 200 per cent at Selfridges over the past year, with the Whitebox Dirty Martini the bestselling variety. Vodka sales at the retailer have increased by 35 per cent, while sales of cocktail olives are up 95 per cent, most notably large jars of Perelló Picante Pitted Olives. There are differing views on how a Martini should be served, but a classic Martini is made with a white spirit and dry vermouth, typically stirred (not shaken) over ice and served in a chilled Martini glass. However, the revival has been accompanied by new interpretations of the traditional recipe. One trend gaining popularity is the 'Mini Martini' , a smaller 100ml serve designed to be consumed in a few sips, offered at venues such as Rita's, a London bar and restaurant frequented by pop star Dua Lipa. Another is the pairing of Martinis with chips, known as the 'adult happy meal', a combination that became popular in New York and has since appeared in UK bars. Selfridges has named the Martini one of its SS25 Obsessions – latest trends – and has dedicated a window display at its Oxford Street store to the cocktail, featuring a 1980s-style bar and Martini hatch. Across its restaurants and bars, the retailer is serving 16 Martini variations Neil McDonald, the Selfridges beer, wines and spirits buyer said: 'The Martini is really having a moment. It's fantastic to see it rising up the drinks list. 'It's an incredibly versatile cocktail with something for everyone to enjoy, from an Espresso Martini to a dirty or even extra dry. 'We're truly obsessed with this elegant cocktail and our customers are too!' The hashtag #martini has attracted more than three million posts on Instagram, while a recent TikTok video demonstrating a 'hot and dirty' Martini with chilli has received nearly half a million likes.
Hindustan Times
01-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
How to Split a Restaurant Bill in 2025? We Asked an Etiquette Expert
Nobody wants to feel taken advantage of, but our relationships aren't just transactional. If orders are similar, splitting evenly is fine. However, if somebody ordered the steak and four Martinis and another had a salad and wasn't drinking, it's perfectly fine to politely suggest splitting based on individual orders. For those who prefer precision, apps can make that happen. Tipping is not optional. It's built into the wage of the server. Factor that 20% into your dining budget. Everything's more expensive now. If you can't afford a dish, you need to make a different choice. When you're invited out, you make a choice: Is this a place where I could have an enjoyable evening within my budget, or not? It's perfectly reasonable to say, 'Hey, I'd love to catch up, but I'm watching my spending this month, how about coffee?' Dining is about getting together with others, and that can be achieved in various ways. The rule is that the host, the person issuing the invitation, pays for both parties. If I invite you to my house, I'm not going to charge you for the water from my sink when you wash your hands. Standard service fees—and unexpected charges, like captain's tips—apply to everyone who enjoyed the meal. If I got the shaved truffle supplement on my pasta, that's my expense. You're still responsible for what you consume. The idea of 'fair' is dependent on who you're with. With me and my friends, fair is 'close enough' or 'I got this one, you get next time.' The key is that nobody feels taken advantage of. It's rude to assume everyone wants to split the bill evenly without asking—or to comment on others' eating habits or how they spend their money. Let's be prompt and not keep fellow diners or the restaurant waiting. Time is money, and they need that table for somebody else. The sooner you're out, the sooner everybody's making some money. Don't dominate the ordering: Ask before ordering for the table. If you're invited out and you're not sure who's hosting, it's OK to clarify and offer to split. Always show gratitude for being invited, even with a simple 'thank you' text. I'm a big fan of a mailed handwritten note, but I will take gratitude in all forms. I don't want to live in a world in which we decide that we don't express gratitude for anything. Then it's a slippery slope to anarchy and chaos. Edited from an interview by Nora Knoepflmacher
Wall Street Journal
30-04-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
How to Split a Restaurant Bill in 2025? We Asked an Etiquette Expert
Perhaps you're keeping a closer eye on the bottom line than your dining companion. What happens when the check arrives? This is precisely the sort of situation Nick Leighton discusses on the etiquette podcast 'Were You Raised By Wolves?' with co-host Leah Bonnema. 'Whether you're at a Michelin three-star or a food truck, we want to emphasize consideration and kindness,' he said. Hungry for more specifics, we lobbed Leighton a few pointed questions on how to dine out now in a manner both polite and fiscally prudent. Nobody wants to feel taken advantage of, but our relationships aren't just transactional. If orders are similar, splitting evenly is fine. However, if somebody ordered the steak and four Martinis and another had a salad and wasn't drinking, it's perfectly fine to politely suggest splitting based on individual orders. For those who prefer precision, apps can make that happen. Tipping is not optional. It's built into the wage of the server. Factor that 20% into your dining budget. Everything's more expensive now. If you can't afford a dish, you need to make a different choice.
